Surprises
by Stillnight
Summary: Sasuke often fought with Naruto and called him moron based on how he acted on classroom - goofing off and playing pranks. Yet Sasuke was totally smitten with him. But his problem was that Naruto wasn't as stupid as he had pretended to be. So, it was now only matter of time before his crush for his blond teammate would be discovered. Yaoi, SasuNaru, KakaIru. Full summary inside.
1. Chapter 1 - Academy Graduation

**December 16th, 2011**

 **edit on May 30th, 2015**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own NARUTO; it belongs it Kishimoto Masashi. No money was made by writing this.**

 **Warnings:** _ **Do not read if you do not like homoerotica.**_ **Will be eventual SasuNaru and KakaIru yaoi. Kind of AU-ish. Academy graduates are older than manga/anime, around age 15-16 yrs rather than 12-13 yrs. Strong, ANBU!Naruto... Not super!Naruto, though. Rated M to be safe.  
**

 **Summary:** Sasuke often fought with Naruto and called him moron based on how he acted on classroom - goofing off and playing pranks. Yet Sasuke was totally smitten with him. Then came the day of Academy Graduation Test. Naruto shocked everyone by revealing his true self. On team assembly day Sasuke and Naruto were placed onto same team, however Sasuke pretended not to care, like he always did. He had always hidden his true feelings he felt for the blond and so he continued to do so even now. But his problem was that Naruto wasn't as stupid as he had pretended to be. So, it was now only matter of time before his crush for his blond teammate would be discovered...

 **Keys for reading:** "Normal Speech", _'Thoughts'_  
 _ **"Jutsu name**_ _[english translation]_ _ **!"**_ _,_ **"Transmitter/mic/headset"**

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

 **Stillnight Presents**

 **Surprises**

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

― **Chapter One: Academy Graduation** ―

Uchiha clan's Sasuke, pale skinned and raven-haired teen, age of 15, sat alone in his classroom in his three seated desk waiting for his seatmate to arrive and keep his dreaded fangirls away from him. His seatmate was a normal, your avarage yellow blond-haired and azure eyed teenaged boy with whisker marks in his cheeks. Blond's bright grin and personality seemed always brighten up whole room, and so Sasuke was waiting his seatmate's arrival with great anticipation.

Uchiha Sasuke was also having problem, kind of. Ever since he had seen that seatmate of his first time, he had been totally charmed by that said person, not only by his personality but also by his appearance. Boy's hair was sun-kissed, golden yellow unruly spiky mess framing his face, and his eyes were most intense and bluest blue you could ever see in anyone's eyes. His golden tanned skin just seemed to be tanned all around the year, so it was most likely completely natural. That Sasuke was _so completely_ charmed by that person, he kept it secret, because they both were guys, and so he never showed his emotions on his face, unlike that other boy.

Sasuke's wait was finally rewarded and his blond finally entered in classroom with wide grin like always. And also, like always, boy flopped to sit down next to him because it was one of the free seats left. Naturally, there were others willing to sit with him, all girls that fawned over him, but Sasuke kept them away giving his so-called _**Uchiha Deathglare**_ and for some reason his seatmate was completely unaffected by it.

Today, however, his seatmate seemed to be somehow a bit different than normally, and his usually hollow grin was a genuine, reaching his azure eyes too. Something must good must have happened to his dobe.

Soon after that their teacher Umino Iruka and his assistant instructor Tōji Mizuki entered in class, carrying thick stack of papers, and it was then that Sasuke remembered that today was the day of their Graduation Test. Sasuke hoped that his seatmate would pass, because they might end up in same team, or at least go some day on missions together.

Iruka told them about the test what it included, and meanwhile Sasuke glanced secretly his seatmate and saw that in his azure eyes was unusually serious and concentrated look. After test papers were given to them, they finally started the written portion of test.

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

Naruto, true to Sasuke's suspicions, was today a truly different and concentrated to his test and what he did. He had finally decided to abandon his false character he had played for _years_ , and show everyone the _real him_. As usually he was perfectly aware of his raven-haired seatmate who sat right next to him, giving secretly glances at his direction when he thought no-one saw him doing it. What was wrong the Uchiha-teme today, anyway?

When the written portion of the test was finally completed, and returned test papers to their Iruka-sensei. Scarred Chūnin quickly checked test papers and gave Naruto long, knowing look with small smile that no-one else but said boy saw. Iruka knew very well that false character that Naruto had played on for years.

They went outside to to do taijutsu and weapon portion of test. Mizuki tested their taijutsu skills, and everyone were shocked to the core when it came Naruto's turn. Blond took unknown taijutsu stance and nearly obliterated their taijutsu sensei. Even Uchiha showed his shock. What was that taijutsu Naruto had used, and was it his true taijutsu, and not the one crappy stantard Academy Taijutsu said blond had used for years in Academy?

Naruto also scored perfectly in throwing weapons and showed everyone victorious smirk. Everyone realized that Naruto had done thus far better than their class' top student Uchiha Sasuke.

Finally it was left ninjutsu portion of test, and back in class room Naruto was asked to do _**Kawarimi**_ _[Replacement]_ , _**Henge**_ _[Transformation]_ and _**Bunshin**_ _[Clone]_. And blond did them perfectly all. He used _**Kawarimi**_ to switch placed with Mizuki, _**Henge**_ d to look like tall white-haired man he called his kyōfu (godfather) and then he finally asked that it was okay to use any type of clone, and did then _**Kage Bunshin**_ _[Shadow Clone]_ in place of normal _**Bunshin**_. And so he passed his Academy graduation test with top scores, but still last of his class because of his bad marks through out the years.

Naruto had seen through out his test their assistant instructor give him badly hidden angry and hateful glares. Naruto flatly ignored them, but kept them on eye of course. It was very clear that their assistant instructor was planning something very unpleasant and it had closely something to do with him, naturally.

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

Sasuke realized at the point when he had seen Naruto use that unfamiliar, advanced taijutsu form, that blond boy had been hiding all years his true skills and talents. He also realized that his blond seatmate was also much smarter than he let anyone see, and he hid it very well behind his false character he had been playing. He also came into conclusion that his dobe was most like even more talented than he, Uchiha Sasuke and he was so-called prodigy and the genius.

When Sasuke finally turned to congratulate Naruto for passing Academy Graduation Test, he noticed that boy had already gone without any signs, and was nowhere to be seen. Where was that dobe of his now gone?

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

Naruto jumped to a window sill of an open window just outside of Hokage's office. He entered to old man's office from window like usually did, and without telling his secretary. Hokage turned to look boy with gentle smile on his face.

"Hey, jiisan. I thought I'd let you know that I passed perfectly. They don't know what hit to them, except Iruka-sensei, of course", Naruto said as he sat in window sill, frown marring his face.

"Good to know that, Naruto-kun", Sandaime said giving a smile to teen. "Did something happen during the tests?" he asked seeing Naruto frown worriedly.

"Well, not exactly, but I got bad feeling about Mizuki-sensei", Naruto replied uncertainly.

Sandaime's expression turned rather worried. "How's so? Can you tell what was that bad feeling you got?", he asked as he inhaled slowly his pipe.

"I can't exactly pinpoint it, but he gave me all those hate-filled glares and I got rather shady vibes about him. Like he's planning something very unpleasant. It was like he had actually expected me to fail the Graduation", answered Naruto to his inquiry and rubbed his arms. A mere thought had given him goosebumps. "And it involves me somehow, in very unpleasant way."

Sandaime got even more worried after hearing it. "Naruto-kun, I suggest that you would stay with someone trustworthy adult until this is solved. I would rather not see anything bad to happen you, Naruto-kun."

Naruto nodded. "I think that Iruka-sensei would let me stay with him until this is solved", he said and watched out of the window down to the village itself, a smile flickering about on his face. "Has the new Genin teams already been decided?" he asked as he was actually curious about the team arrangements.

Sandaime gave knowing glance to Naruto. "Not yet, they are still under planning", he said. "Naruto-kun, you aren't fishing for information about teams, are you?" he asked quirking his eyebrow questioningly with small smile.

Naruto chuckled a bit. "Perhaps, perhaps not. I actually have already some sort of an idea who in my team might be", he said with very genuine, mischievous grin still looking out of the window. "I'm 'dead-last', the dobe of my graduating class so to speak, so I would be put into same team with rookie of the year and best kunoichi, correct?", he asked turning to look Sandaime.

Sandaime was at first a bit stunned that boy had actually guessed it. "How'd you knew it?"

"Just a guess", Naruto admitted shrugging. "Team balance and all that stuff. As you know, I'm not exactly as stupid as I play to be", he said sheepishly rubbing back of his head. "So... I also know a lot of things that I shouldn't at all - or at least yet. Perks of living with my kyōfu and all that, as you know", he laughed quietly.

Sandaime shook his head and his eyes twinkled in amused manner. "Ah, yes. I had _nearly_ forgotten that you live with Jiraiya, what with him being absent from village so much as he is."

Smile tugged Naruto's lips as he thought about his godfather. "Yeah. Ero-kyōfu comes and goes as he pleases, but he always makes sure that I have everything ok. He leaves to me a lots of money for living expenses and sends me all the time letters and gifts, and he always comes back home when he said he will come. He has taught me so much", he said affectionately. "We both know that ero-kyōfu has every intentions to make me as his successor for his both titles of Spymaster and Gamasennin."

Sandaime nodded agreeingly. "Yes, he told me that. I have been informed that you will be his apprentice in coming years", he mused and was going to continue, but suddenly his office's doors were crashed loudly open and worried Jōnin rushed in.

"Forbidden jutsu scroll has been stolen!" Jōnin said panting. "Several people saw Uzumaki brat... carrying the..." Jōnin's words started to stagger as he noticed the person in Hokage's office's window sill sitting, and looking rather confused to a boot, too. "But how is he here?!", he gibbered.

Naruto and Sarutobi stared to each others, and blond's knuckles whitened with fury as his hands clenched into fists. _How dared that traitor use him as his cover up!?_ "Tōji Mizuki... I'LL CRUSH HIM!" Naruto growled angrily and his KI started to leak out, spiking highly too, and he crackled his knuckles menasingly. "Tora (tiger), Nezumi (rat)!" he shouted.

Two **ANBU** appeared out of thin air. "You called us?"

"We have a situation here", Naruto explained. "Academy assistant instructor Tōji Mizuki has stolen the Forbidden Jutsu Scroll using me as his cover up. We have a mission to get scroll back before he get's too far. Jōnin-san, where perpetrator was heading with the scroll?", he asked from Jōnin who had barged suddenly in Sandaime's office.

Jōnin was rather pale as he stared blond boy who had called **ANBU**. "To - towards Northern forests..." he staggered words out.

Sandaime breathed out and said. "Naruto-kun, be careful..." was only thing he managed to say before teen was already gone with **ANBU**. "... And he is gone after Tōji Mizuki. Damn that brat not listening to until end when talking to him..." he grumbled by himself and confused Jōnin was left scratch his head.

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

Sasuke was walking towards his own apartment after doing some grocery shopping, when he saw a familiar figure leaping from roof to roof of nearby houses, **ANBU** right hot on his heels. He nearly dropped his grocery bag when he noticed the speed and grace other was moving with. He could also see from distance other person's determinated face.

Had something happened? Sasuke wondered as he followed his dobe with his eyes as he run farther and farther away. He was nearly ready to run after Naruto, but decided then that what ever was going on, his help wasn't needed because Naruto was _with_ **ANBU** and had their help, what ever was going on. Sighing he resumed his walk towards his home.

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

Naruto ran with **ANBU** speed through the village his back up right hot on his heels, leaping from roof to roof. At some point he saw familiar duck-butt hairdo that belonged to Uchiha Sasuke seeing him, but he didn't concern himself with him. Ignoring the teme Naruto kept running.

Soon Naruto arrived to edges of Northern forests. He didn't even stop his run and formed 25 _**Kage Bunshins**_ to scan forest and find the traitor as soon as possible. He barked some instructios to **ANBU** that was following him and they disappeared into forest. Not long after that Naruto found the traitor he was looking for and followed secretly from tree what he was doing with scroll.

Naruto took great pleasure to startle Mizuki by jumping from tree gracefully right behind him. "Tōji, I'll fucking _crush_ you for trying use me as your cover up!" he snarled angrily, pulling some shuriken and kunai from his holsters.

Mizuki turned around fast and seemed to look somewhat shocked to see him there actually. "You! How you can be here?!" he shouted. "I made sure that you would be chased after for stealing Forbidden Jutsu Scroll!"

"Too bad that it wasn't succesful!", snarled Naruto back to silver-haired man. "Because I was right in Hokage's office with old man himself when Jōnin came tell old man the news", he said with with dark amusement in his eyes. "Now, Tōji Mizuki, give me that scroll without fight!"

"Don't even think so, demon spawn!" Mizuki shouted, and ANBU that was hidden in shadows cringed to traitor's loud voice. Mizuki got bright idea to tell Naruto about the law regarding Kyuubi attack that happened 15 years ago and lastly he yelled victoriously. "...and you Uzumaki Naruto, you are Kyuubi no Kitsune!" he had expected crying, shouting or something similar but not definitely the reaction he got from blond.

Naruto just yawned boredly. "Now, that was old news, Tōji. And little correction to your words. I'm not Kyuubi himself, only his _**container**_. Are you retarted, or what?"

That finally made Mizuki flip his lid and silver-haired man attacked to Naruto throwing a giant shuriken to him with every intention to kill annoying boy. And he felt twinge of satisfaction when he saw giant shuriken hit boy onto chest.

But Mizuki's victory was short lived as Naruto suddenly disappeared with plume of smoke and shuriken clattered onto ground. "Congratulations, you just killed my _**Kage Bunshin**_ ", Naruto smirked from tree right behind him, and two **ANBU** had very hard bit their tongues not to laugh out loud to Mizuki's facial expression.

Mizuki snarled angrily and pulled out several kunai and throwed them speedily towards Naruto.

But next happened something that neither of them had expected to happen in any circumtances. Iruka leaped out off bushes and straight in front of Naruto, and was hit with kunai in his legs, arms and torso on several, but luckily non-vital places.

Naruto leaped out of tree to help Iruka. _**"IRUKA-SENSEI!"**_ Naruto shouted as man collapsed on the ground. Naruto hastily created _**Kage Bunshin**_ to help Iruka and he turned to face Mizuki with very cold and wrathful looking.

"You can hit, beat, stab, mock and berate me, but if you lay your hands on my sensei ever again, _**I'll KILL YOU**_!" Naruto said with glare that easily made _**Uchiha Deathglare**_ look like gentle smile, and it chilled Mizuki's blood in his veins. Naruto's KI spiked up very high and made all in present shiver and tremble.

"Ha! I'll beat you with one hit!" Mizuki screamed at the boy, but paled as he saw that he was suddenly surrounded with hundreds of _**Kage Bunshins**_.

"I'll give right back in thousand fold!" Naruto said angrily. "Get him!" he snarled and his _**Kage Bunshins**_ dashed forward more than willingly following his direct order.

Results of beating weren't pretty sight. Naruto picked jutsu scroll from ground and strapped it onto his back. After clones were dispelled and he turned to Iruka again and kneeled next to him and started to pull kunai and shuriken out one by one and heal his wounds so that he would last until they got in hospital. "Tora, Nezumi! Take traitor to Ibiki! I'll take the Scroll myself to old man, and 'Ruka-sensei to hospital. I'll report later on to jiisan."

"Roger that, Ōkami (wolf)", Nezumi said and grabbed traitor and disappeared with Tora, leaving Naruto with Iruka and Forbidden Jutsu Scroll.

As Naruto continued to heal Iruka's injuries, helped tanned and scarred man slowly sit against tree. "Iruka-sensei, are you okay?" he asked worriedly. "Let's get you into hospital soon."

Iruka wheezed a bit with painful twinges shot through his body. "Ye - yeah, I'm somehow still alive", he said with grimace wincing. "What happened to Mizuki?"

"Ah, him. Tora and Nezumi **ANBU** took him to Ibiki-san into **INTEL**. Ibiki-san will have some fun with him... If Mizuki recovers enough from major beatdown I gave him, that is", Naruto snorted dryly. "I got the scroll back without any problems", he said and pat scroll strapped on his back. "But why in the world you barged here midst of our fight like that suddenly?" he asked while he helped dark-haired man stood up.

"I heard about it from Sandaime, and I got worried. Really worried, you know", Iruka said and cringed painfully. "I promised to Jiraiya that I'd look after you, and I would never forgive myself if something were happen to you when I could prevent it."

Naruto sighed and said. "Yes yes, that may be the case, but I would never forgive myself either if you got unnecassarily hurt because of me", he stated matter-of-factly, and then they both disappeared with whirl of leaves.

― **TBC** ―

 _ **Jutsu List:**_

 _ **Kawarimi**_ _[Replacement]_

 _ **Henge**_ _[Transformation]_

 _ **Bunshin**_ _[Clone]_

 _ **Kage Bunshin**_ _[Shadow Clone]_

* * *

So, this is new story for you. The very first chapter. This was written years ago, and decided to give this to you to compensate my lengthy absence. Yes, I know - I suck. It was difficult to decide what genre I should put this.

Regards  
Stillnight


	2. Chapter 2 - New Teammates and Sensei

**December 16th, 2011**

 **edit on May 30th, 2015**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own NARUTO; it belongs it Kishimoto Masashi. No money was made by writing this.**

 **Warnings:** _ **Do not read if you do not like homoerotica.**_ **Will be eventual SasuNaru and KakaIru yaoi. Kind of AU-ish. Academy graduates are older than manga/anime, around age 15-16 yrs rather than 12-13 yrs.** **Strong, ANBU!Naruto... Not super!Naruto, though.** **Rated M to be safe.**

 **Summary:** Sasuke often fought with Naruto and called him moron based on how he acted on classroom - goofing off and playing pranks. Yet Sasuke was totally smitten with him. Then came the day of Academy Graduation Test. Naruto shocked everyone by revealing his true self. On team assembly day Sasuke and Naruto were placed onto same team, however Sasuke pretended not to care, like he always did. He had always hidden his true feelings he felt for the blond and so he continued to do so even now. But his problem was that Naruto wasn't as stupid as he had pretended to be. So, it was now only matter of time before his crush for his blond teammate would be discovered...

 **Keys for reading:** "Normal Speech", _'Thoughts'_  
 _ **"Jutsu name**_ _[english translation]_ _ **!"**_ _,_ **"Transmitter/mic/headset"**

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

 **Stillnight Presents**

 **Surprises**

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

― **Chapter Two: New Teammates And Sensei** ―

Two days after Academy Graduation Test Naruto was sitting back in familiar classroom in familiar seat with his familiar seatmate. Naruto and 26 other graduated students were there waiting their sensei come to tell their future teams and new senseis. Most of them were excitedly chatting with each others about their possible teammates and senseis - well nearly all.

Naruto and Sasuke were only ones that were silently sitting next to each others and had yet to speak a one word to each other. Blond-haired teen silently mused that he would want to be teammates with anyone other but with Uchiha fangirls. Bastard himself, though, was quite okay. After all, he didn't bother him and mostly kept to himself. Well, if one ignored those strange looks he usually tended to give him.

Naruto was quietly napping against his desk, he was tired about what had occured two days earlier. His mission to capture traitor and return important scroll and along the mission an outsider had gotten seriously hurt. Naruto had to write a long report of what had occurred and then he had spend a long time in hospital with Iruka after returning damn scroll that was the root of all trouble to Sandaime and gave him stern warning to keep it locked better and more safer place.

His current peace was, however, to be short-lived. When classroom's sliding door suddenly crashed open, sudden loud noise startled Naruto out of his half-sleeping state back to reality of the waking world. Into classroom barged two of Sasuke's most fanatic fangirls, sweating and huffing loudly. They immediately started to fight who get to sit next to Sasuke. Then suddenly Haruno Sakura, pink-haired banshee, spotted Sasuke and ran to him screeching with high-pitched voice the boy's name.

Naruto grimaced. He knew that he was going to get involved to it, even if he _didn't_ want to. Additionally, those stupid girls hadn't learned yet even to that day that Sasuke didn't want anything to do with them and that he would rather sit with Naruto more than any of girls.

"Move it Naruto-baka!" Sakura screeched and pulled blond teen out of his seat and Naruto stumbled to floor clumsily.

Naruto annoyedly growled from floor as he got up, dusted his cloths and then jumped to desk in front of Sasuke, crouching. Two teens stared each others in eyes and tension rose into new heights, and it seemed like there was some sparks flying between them.

Naruto frowned as he stared the raven-haired teenaged boy before him. _'What the hell is so good about this teme? I mean, certainly he is talented and good looking to some extent, but that's all...'_

Suddenly Naruto felt an ultimate sense of dread creeping up his spine. Someone accidentally bumped their elbow on Naruto's back and he lost his balance, falling forward, straight heads on to Sasuke. Their heads collided painfully, but somehow their lips were locked to each others into accidental, _oh so_ innocent kiss.

Classroom was suddenly ruled with deathly silence and both boys stared each others into eyes for mere fraction of a second, before they were startled away from each other and started to gag and mumble muffled curses and death threats.

Sasuke's fan girls were shocked to beyond their beliefs, but then Sakura seemed to come back from shock. She menacingly crackled her knuckles, but she was stopped when Sasuke shot her his fame ' _ **Uchiha Deathglare**_ ' to girls and they hurriedly backed away and sat into other available seats, leaving Naruto into his original seat. And so Naruto was once again sitting beside to Sasuke.

While Sasuke glared death at everyone around him with a faint pink dusting his cheeks, inwardly he was practically whooping with happiness and dancing jig. He had kissed Naruto, no matter how accidental it had been!

Naruto scowled something terrible at everyone, glaring murder at Sakura whenever she glanced at his and Sasuke's direction. She would make her pay for this somehow. Deciding to use his time productively, he started to plot how to make Sakura pay for making him and Uchiha accidentally kiss each other.

Iruka soon arrived into classroom carrying single sheet of paper in his hand, and bandages peeking under his uniform and moving a bit stiffly. Naruto felt a sting of guilt in his chest seeing his favourite sensei in that condition.

"Good morning, kids, and congratulations for your graduation. You are no longer academy students but Genin, a lowest rank of shinobi..." Iruka explained, and Naruto slowly drifted back into dream world until he got his name being called.

"Team 7, Uzumaki Naruto", Iruka called, and Naruto snapped his eyes open. "... Haruno Sakura..." Naruto slumped against his desk again, depressed. _'Of course, I have to end up with most annoying person into same team, and she's a fangirl to a boot, too...'_ he thought sourly. "And Uchiha Sasuke."

Sakura screeched victoriously and Naruto rumbled under his breath. "Great, I got useless fangirl... I already hate my team, although bastard is okay... I s'pose" and then he fell back into sleep again.

Soon team assembly was over and Iruka told them to get back in classroom after the noon to meet their new senseis. Naruto was abruptly awoken when Uchiha poked him awake.

"Hey, Uzumaki, how about some luch together now that we are in same team?" Sasuke asked, waiting curiously his answer. He crossed his fingers in his pockets and hoped that he would say yes, because he wanted to spend some time alone with him without Sakura disturbing them.

Naruto loudly yawned and nodded as his answer. _Well, why not?_ he thought, and they left class and went outside eat. Sakura ran after them, but the two had already disappeared from her sight, and she returned alone, disappointed, into class room.

Sasuke and Naruto sat outside, under the tree in Academy's yard, eating their own lunches in comfortable silence, either of them saying even one word to each other. Soon after Naruto finished his own lunch, he fell asleep again.

Sasuke sat next to Naruto, wondering why dobe was so tired today, and most of time sleeping when he a change. He inspected closely blond's face, and saw some shadows under his eyes. Now he had a good change to get more clearer and closer look of his blond crush's face, and boy wouldn't know it at all.

Sasuke noted that blond was in his sleep rather calm and peaceful. He took long look of Naruto's golden tan skin that perfectly unscarred, if not counting those whisker marks on his cheeks, but he got the feeling that they were more of birth marks than scars. Naruto's sun-kissed, golden yellow hair was rather spiky and unruly, no matter what Naruto did to it, Sasuke had noticed it long time ago. He saw that Naruto's face was still a bit roundish though he was losing his babyfat already, but he knew that blond would before long lose that baby-faced look and became more mature as he grew older. And just by instinct he knew that Naruto would be insanely handsome when he grew older, in mere few years, for he was already starting gain his more mature look. Whiskers in blonds' cheeks gave him rather unique and untamed look, making him look exotic. Sasuke had noted that Naruto was for some reason unusually short for his age, but he doubted that would last much longer when Naruto's puberty would truly kick in - Naruto was a bit late bloomer, as it seemed to be.

Later on back in class room, after lunch boys were sitting again together and Naruto asleep once again. Sakura tried to persuade Sasuke onto dates with her and molest him with all her might; said Uchiha was avoiding her just as passionately.

Their sensei was late by three hours in total, and when he finally arrived into class to pick his team, his first comment about his team was after short inspection: "My first impression of you... How to say this? I don't like you."

Naruto, hearing their sensei's voice, cracked his azure eyes open and got slowly streching up from his seat and yawning he gave their new sensei icy glare. " The feeling is mutual from my part, Hatake-san."

Their sensei, Hatake Kakashi, stared rather surprised his new blond-haired and azure eyed student. He noticed that his students eyes showed nothing except blatand dislike and utter boredom, and it all was directed straight to him. That got him actually surprisingly enough shocked, as he had said only jokingly that he disliked his team, but boy really did dislike him and not just pretended to.

"Meet me on roof in five minutes", Kakashi said and disappeared via _**Shunshin**_ _[Body Flicker]_.

Sasuke looked worriedly at Naruto and asked then. "Is it okay to show your dislike to our new sensei so blatantly, dobe?"

Naruto just looked Sasuke with cocked up eyebrow and answered. "At least it prevents all misunderstandings in future", he simply stated and merged into the floor disappearing from sight leaving gaping Sasuke and Sakura behind.

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

Naruto emerged from roof, startling Kakashi greatly. Blond really didn't care much about that his sensei was startled by the fact that Naruto could use that form of transportation jutsu.

Soon all of them were in roof and they entered in introductions, and Kakashi was first one to go and introduce himself to them, as per Sakura's request.

"Well... My name is Hatake Kakashi. Things I like, I prefer to keep that information for myself and I dislike a few things. My dreams for future... Hmm... Well, I have a lot of hobbies", Kakashi said merrily.

Naruto gave him long, wordless look before he finally remarked rather dryly. "That didn't really reveal to us much about you but your name, Hatake-san."

"Well, you go next then, blondy", Kakashi said, frowning ever so slightly Naruto's behaviour.

Naruto stared him blandly for a moment before he opened his mouth. "Name's Uzumaki Naruto. I like ramen, _**Icha Icha**_ and my ero-kyōfu; I dislike idiots, fangirls and a bunch of other things. Dream is to succeed my ero-kyōfu and become Spymaster and Gama Sennin like he is. Goal of life is to defeat and kill Akatsuki. Hobbies are proof-reading _**Icha Icha**_ books before they are officially published, and ... hmm..." Naruto gave short smirk to Kakashi who was now slightly sweating under Naruto's clear, azure gaze.

 _'He has grown in interesting way to say at least, yet he is rather normal if compared to others. And if it was any indications the information I got about him from his Academy sensei and Sandaime-sama, he is the strongest of whole bunch...'_ Kakashi thought and looked the golden-haired teen. He had been following him from distance whenever he wasn't out on missions. And yet, he barely knew anything about him.

"Alright, you raven-haired one, you go next then", Kakashi said out loud. _'I wonder what kind of person he has grown to be, being only survivor of Uchiha Massacre...'_

Sasuke gave annoyed sigh. "My name is Uchiha Sasuke. There is only one thing - _a person_ \- I like", he said and subconsciously glanced towards Naruto inpercetibly before continuing his introduction. "I dislike most girls I know and especially a fangirls", he continued and looked straight at Sakura with his _**Uchiha Deathglare**_. "As for my hobbies, I train a lot and grow tomatoes in my garden. My dream... hmm..." his gaze turned a dreamy and was ever so slightly turned to Naruto's direction.

Naruto was totally weirded out by Sasuke's behaviour, and Sakura was positively depressed as it was, Sasuke had shown his dislike for her rather directly but she was also curious about that person Sasuke liked enough mention it in his introduction.

Kakashi hadn't missed Sasuke's unknowingly given hints for his 'person he liked'. _'I think I might get a love triangle in my hands before long. This is getting rather interesting now...'_ he smirked behind his mask.

"And the lady lastly now", Kakashi said with hidden smile to Sakura.

Naruto snorted, rather sarcastically. "Pfft, there is nothing lady like in her. She is more like banshee", he sneered and Sasuke agreed with him. "Yeah, a fitting description, dobe."

Sakura shot angry glare to Naruto with tic mark on her forehead. "Watch it, Naruto-baka!" she screeched. "I'm Haruno Sakura. The things I like... Or more of the person I like... " glance shyly, blushing to raven haired boy. "I hate Naruto-baka and Ino-pig!" she screeched loudly glaring Naruto. "My dream for future... " she glances towards Sasuke blushing and this time with a loud squeal. "And my hobbies are..."

All males sweat-dropped rather strongly and Sasuke face-palmed. _'I think that Sakura is more interested in boys than being shinobi currently. Then again... She is a teenaged girl...'_ silver-haired man thought rubbing his chin.

Naruto felt like banging his head in a wall - until he fells unconscious. But instead he just settles to smack himself with his palm to forehead. "Why in the seven hells we have to team with a delusional fangirl?!" he snarled irately, pointing at pink-haired girl. "Best kunoichi of the year!? Hah, I'd like to see her beat Hinata in fight, which is IMPOSSIBLE for Sakura! Just what the hell was old man thinking when he put me into this doomed team?!" he snarled so irately his KI started accidentally leak out. His eyes flashed dangerously with ice and made Sasuke's ' _ **Uchiha Deathglare**_ ' look like smile.

Kakashi felt sudden urge to back away into safer distance. Sakura was shaking with fear and tears leaking from her eyes. Sasuke felt a terror he hadn't felt ever since his brother had massacred their clan few years ago, and he felt his breathing getting laboured and he slightly started to sweat. He quickly noticed that he wasn't only one feeling rather unpleasant currently.

"Hatake-san, tell me where our _real_ Genin test is kept and when, and be quick about it", Naruto said, his voice now completely devoid any emotions, and it gave a real scare to Kakashi. "I don't have all afternoon to linger here listening your idiocies. I have duties to attend unlike rest of this useless, deadweight of a team", he glared Kakashi, and silver-haired man felt like blood was chilling in his vein. "Time is ticking..."

Kakashi swallowed thickly. "Be - before that... Naruto-kun, tell me why you seem to dislike me so much."

Naruto gave him a look that seemed to say. 'Are you idiot or what?' "My reasons are my own, and it won't do any good even if I reveal them. And I'm not obligated to reveal them to anyone, the least to you or this useless team", he said, his voice still completely void of emotion, except something that lightly resembled to annoyance.

Kakashi felt depressed and hurt. This boy in front of him was most important person to him, had been ever since he had born, and he hated him. His left, covered _**Sharingan**_ _[Copy Wheel Eye]_ eye shed tears behind hitai-ate, but his own natural right, stormy silverish gray eye stayed dry. He had a feeling that this team was going to pass, despite all the odds, but what he was going to do when one of the team members hated and despised so much them?

Depressed he sighed and opened his weapon pouch and took three papers from it and holding them in his hand, he shortly explained the test. "Take your all ninja tools with you. This test will be the most hardest test you have done this far. It has 66% failure rate and out of 27 graduated Genin canditates only 9 will pass and become really a Genin. Rest 18 will either quit altogether or return back to academy for another year", he explained and gave papers he hold in his hand to his Genins. "You will find other information from this flyer. "Any questions?"

Naruto shortly scanned the paper with his gaze, memorising everything just by looking it, and folded it then and stuffed into his pocket. "You dare be late tomorrow and it will be the last thing you ever do", he said icily and disappeared by emerging into ground, leaving no trace behind or any proof that he had ever been there.

Remaining members of team 7 were, without saying more than shocked and surprised once again. Who in the world their blond team member was and there was there was several questions lingering in their minds.

Kakashi looked the spot where Naruto had emerged and let out small, humorless chuckle. "Who would have thought...? "

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

Naruto irately went back in his home to cool down, he ate and changed clean clothes on before heading out again. To Hokage's office this time. As usually he entered in his office from open window and sat down to windowsill.

"Yo, jiisan!", Naruto greeted old man wearing rope and hat, puffing his pipe. "I have question for you."

Sandaime looked up from his papers hearing Naruto's voice, not surprised to see boy sitting in his window sill. "Hello, Naruto-kun. I assume that you have met your team and new sensei already?"

Tic mark appeared in Naruto's forehead and started to look irritated. "Yeah, I have", he said his eyebrow twitching. "Why in the world you put me into team with Haruno Sakura, the most useless kunoichi of my whole class? And don't give me that crap about team balance or that she is the best kunoichi. Or with Uchiha Sasuke? And why our teamleader has to be _**HIM**_?"

Sandaime looked baffled. "Naruto-kun, you don't like your team?" he asked.

"No, I don't. Sasuke can be tolerated and he doesn't bother me - much - but that... That DELUSIONAL fangirl - I hate her with my very being! She fawns over Uchiha, doesn't train and isn't even interested to be a shinobi! Not to mention that she screeches like a freaking banshee and every time she opens her mouth there comes out something incredible stupid and her voice FREAKING grates my ears", Naruto cursed loudly.

"And what about Kakashi-kun?" Sandaime asked looking Naruto carefully.

Naruto's anger seemed to deflate almost immediately. "Jiisan, you know our past and what and who I am. I can't let him near me without hurting him. When I die, which is most like way before him, he would be very hurt and I don't want that to happen, jiisan", he said sadly. "This is going to be very hard, if I stay on this team. It would be better if I went with ero-kyōfu or stayed alone. At least that way I wouldn't hurt him", he sighed.

Sandaime stood up from his seat and walked over to wide windows, next to Naruto. "Naruto-kun, Kakashi made his own choice and he asked to be your sensei. He loves you very much. He has been denied the right to see you past 15 years, and I can't really blame him wanting to see you. He _is_ your brother after all, even if you want to deny it for his own safety", he said and looked down to village sadly.

Naruto sighed sounding depressed. "I know that, old man. It just that... I don't want him get hurt because of me and that will happen sooner or later", he said with muffled voice and looked to Yondaime Hokage's picture in wall. "I truly wish _He_ was still alive, and mom too. Situation would be so different now", he said solemnly.

"True. I have wished that so many times before as well", Sandaime said and turned to look his late successor's picture. "Also I miss him much", he sighed.

Then Sandaime suddenly changed their topic back to work related. "So, Naruto-kun are you going to take evening or night shift tonight?" he asked and went back to his desk and took some list from his drawer.

Naruto stared Yondaime Hokage's picture for awhile without saying anything and finally answered. "Evening. If I'm going to stay in this doomed team then I have to take part of Kakashi's Genin test tomorrow morning."

Sandaime scribbled something into his list. "Alright then. You shift will start in... 45 minutes. And good luck..."

"Thanks... I suppose."

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

Kakashi had been secretly following Naruto after their first team meeting had ended. He had been rather surprised to see go meet Sandaime so casually, like it was everyday thing to do. And entering by using window like he did. He concealed his presence and used to chakra to enchance his hearing to listen what blond was talking with Sandaime.

 _"... I don't want him get hurt because of me and that will happen sooner or later..."_ he heard Naruto speak with muffled voice, sounding depressed to boot. Then he heard Naruto and Sandaime speak something about someone, and ... wait, did Naruto mention his mom? So then they had been speaking about Naruto's father?

Kakashi swallowed thickly, just thinking about his sensei and his wife, they had been kind enough to adopt him when he had been just a lonely child after his real father had committed seppuku, and left young Kakashi orphaned and alone to bear the brunt of anger and hatred of villagers who saw Hatake Sakumo as traitor to village.

But his hearing perked up again now when Sandaime mentioned something about 'shifts'. Soon they had finished their conversation and Naruto moved out from Hokage's office to his next destination. But before Naruto got too far, azure eyed boy halted suddenly for brief moment and said seemingly empty surroundings.

"If you're going to follow someone and eavesdrop their conversations, then make sure that your target can't sense you by concealing your presence better, and try be more... Subtle. Your stealth skills sucks, Hatake-san."

And then Naruto just disappeared in empty air without any traces.

After that Kakashi just didn't have any courage to follow Naruto any further. How the hell Naruto had known that he was there? God damn, his stealth skills were very good and from best end. He was a former **ANBU Captain** for the God's sake!

 _'Naruto-kun is definitely hiding more things than we all know and I want find out what he is hiding from me, and why!'_

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

The 'shift' Naruto and Sandaime had spoken earlier was patrol duty he did regular occasion with **ANBU** trainers and trainees, and also with a real **ANBU** members, and all that was by Naruto's ero-kyōfu's request. **ANBU** trainer had at first had been very hesitant to let a child so young join into their training and patrol sessions, but Naruto had soon proved that trainer's fears and hesitating to unnecassary.

Now that group always waited with anticipation Naruto's arrival. With them Naruto was most natural, true self, and his skills and abilities had gained great respect from his group. And now, somehow, this group of **ANBU** had just 'adopted' Naruto in their team permanently.

Subtly Naruto slipped into **HQ** locker room to change his cloths to normal **ANBU** uniform. He stuffed his obnoxious orange black jumpsuit into locker and put his black and gray uniform on, strapped sword in his back and weapon pouches into his belt. Lastly he slipped his white, porcelain mask on and left to his duty.

"Yo, you're late today. This is rare from you, Ōkami-kun", tora mask wearing man said humorously. "Did something happen? I nearly thought that you wouldn't be joining us today."

"Aa-aah", Naruto sighed. "Hi, sorry about being late", he said waiving his team members. "Today did happen something. More or less something unpleasant. Today I was placed into Genin team from Academy. It just happened to be my luck that I got damn delusional fangirl and the last Uchiha", he grumbled under his breath. "And my team leader is...", he said thickly and swallowed. "My adoptive brother. _**Sharingan**_ Kakashi."

Silence ruled the room and **ANBU** members looked nervously each others. "How did that happen? Aren't there rules against family members being in same teams?"

Naruto nodded silently and said. "There is, but in our case it doesn't keep its end, because no-one except me, Kakashi, Sandaime, baachan and Jiraiya knows about it. And Kakashi doesn't even know that I know. Old man told me that it was Kakashi who asked me for his team."

Nezumi came around the table and patted Naruto's shoulder. "Don't worry about it, brat. It will be okay. Kakashi won't let you die and he won't die too. He has now too much to lose, because he has you", he said and Naruto nodded.

Naruto snorted softly and laughed a bit. "Well, in any case. He still need to pick up more his training, because he tried to follow me concealing his presence and I _still_ could feel him and knew where he was. His stealth skills sucks", he said, shaking his head in exasperation.

That caused muffled laughter from his team members and Tori said humorously. "No, it's not that his skills sucks. It's you, Ōkami-chan, who is _too_ good. Your senses are too sharp. Nothing goes without you noticing it."

"That may be true, but still", Naruto admitted sheepishly. "But enough with this. So, today's routes and partners?" he said entering into his working mode.

Team's trainer walked to table and spread Konoha's map open into it and pointed several routes in it. "Nezumi and Ōkami, you follow this route, Tori and Ryuu this one..."

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

Sakura was somewhat depressed after her first team meeting as she walked aimlessly around Konoha. Her crush seemed so pointless now after Sasuke had so clearly shown his dislike towards her. And then there was this another teammate of their, Uzumaki Naruto. They somehow ended up in same team with idiot, and she really hated the idea.

Something was seriously off about their third teammate, Sakura admitted. She had never seen him before so serious and angry as today end of their meeting.

Suddenly Sakura saw something from corner of her eyes and she looked up to rooftops. In rooftop of near house stood two masked **ANBU** members in their black and gray uniforms and wearing their scary looking, emotionless porcelain masks. Another of man was tall, light brown haired man wearing rat mask and next to him stood notably smaller character with blinding golden yellow hair and wearing wolf mask. They were motioning to each others and pointing different directions shaking and nodding their heads as if they were talking with each others. And soon after that they resumed running and leaped from roof to another and then in blink of eye... they both disappeared, like they had never even been there in first place.

Sakura was awed, this had been first time when she saw **ANBU** in live. **ANBU** 's were rarely seen, and also they disappeared really fast as they appeared without trace. She continued to stare on the directions where those **ANBU** had disappeared for awhile, but then sighing she continued her aimless wandering on streets.

― **TBC** ―

 _ **Jutsu List:**_

 _ **Shunshin**_ _[Body Flicker]_

 _ **Sharingan**_ _[Copy Wheel Eye]_

* * *

Yay... Another chapter. You can expect few more chapters. This isn't complete nor anywhere near, but it's slowly being written when I can.


	3. Chapter 3 - Team Test - Fail or Pass?

**December 16th, 2011**

 **edit on May 30th, 2015**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own NARUTO; it belongs it Kishimoto Masashi. No money was made by writing this.**

 **Warnings:** _ **Do not read if you do not like homoerotica.**_ **Will be eventual SasuNaru and KakaIru yaoi. Kind of AU-ish. Academy graduates are older than manga/anime, around age 15-16 yrs rather than 12-13 yrs.** **Strong, ANBU!Naruto... Not super!Naruto, though.**

 **Summary:** Sasuke often fought with Naruto and called him moron based on how he acted on classroom - goofing off and playing pranks. Yet Sasuke was totally smitten with him. Then came the day of Academy Graduation Test. Naruto shocked everyone by revealing his true self. On team assembly day Sasuke and Naruto were placed onto same team, however Sasuke pretended not to care, like he always did. He had always hidden his true feelings he felt for the blond and so he continued to do so even now. But his problem was that Naruto wasn't as stupid as he had pretended to be. So, it was now only matter of time before his crush for his blond teammate would be discovered...

 **Keys for reading:** "Normal Speech", _'Thoughts'_  
 _ **"Jutsu name**_ _[english translation]_ _ **!"**_ _,_ **"Transmitter/mic/headset"**

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

 **Stillnight Presents**

 **Surprises**

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

― **Chapter Three: Team Test - Fail Or Pass?** ―

Finally late that night Naruto got from his patrol duty and after quickly changing his cloth, he went back to his home, tired and hungry. After eating quick meal of cup-ramen, took shower and then he flopped onto his futon and fell asleep instantly. Soon only his soft snores was heard and mob of golden hair was seen under his blankets.

Naruto was always very restless sleeper and ended up into some sort bad sleeping posture or sprawling all over his futon and occasionally floor.

In morning when alarm clock finally blared into life he threw kunai to his obnoxiously loud clock to silence it, then he groggily got up staring blankly to wall for about five minutes before his senses finally kicked in. After cold awakening shower, long morning jog and short training session with his _**Kage Bunshin**_ _[Shadow Clone]_ , he ate hefty breakfast and took another cold shower to wash off the sweat he had gotten from his morning work out. Only after that he felt like he was finally ready to meet his team again and their sensei.

Naruto liked his obnoxiously bright orange jumpsuit, and it was incredible help to increase stealth skills and subtlety, because it was so bright. And besides, he liked orange and black. Right before leaving he grabbed a couple of peaches from kitchen.

When Naruto finally arrived to training ground, Sakura and Sasuke were both there already looking tired, hungry and very annoyed. Duo was alerted by Naruto's arrival when blond took bottle of water from his pocket. He started to much his first peach humming and looking clouds.

"You're late, dobe", Sasuke stated, eyeing Naruto. Blond looked like he had just moments ago taken shower right before arriving in there for their test. "Why are you eating? Kakashi-sensei told us not to eat because we might end up puking", he frowned to Naruto and his peach to emphase his words. Why was Naruto going against their sensei's orders?

"I eat because I'm hungry. Period", Naruto said with raised eyebrow. "I ain't keeping meals from myself just because I _**might**_ end up puking my meal later on."

Naruto leisurely started to do some stretches and then shocked his team mates walking straight up the tree trunk. He did chakra control excersises constantly because his reserves were humongous for someone of his age and generally... his chakra control _sucked_.

Sakura's and Sasuke's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets when they saw Naruto starting to jog up and down tree trunk as in running, not climping like normally. Naruto didn't pay any attention to them and continued to running in peace. After an hour of waiting their sensei to arrive Naruto was starting to get pissed off. He had clearly warned to not be late - or else... ! He decided that he was going to give a man a lesson that would not forget anytime soon.

 _ **BOFF!**_

"Yo!" tall, lanky silver-haired man whom hair seemed to defy all laws of gravity, stepped out from smoke cloud.

"YOU'RE LATE, SENSEI!" Sakura screeched.

"Sorry, sorry... I got lost on road of the life", Kakashi said waiving his hand calmly.

"LIAR!" Sakura screeched again, and Naruto felt like his ears were going to split soon.

"... Oh, sure you were, Hatake-san", Naruto remarked dryly to Kakashi with sarcastically raised eyebrow. "Can we already start this? Sooner we do this, sooner we know do we pass or fail to become your students."

Kakashi couldn't help but sweat-drop and sigh then. He had spend a whole night thinking about Naruto and what he had heard him speak with Sandaime, when he had eavesdropped their conversation. He hadn't found any reasonably reason why azure eyed teen disliked him so much. Because he was tired for not sleeping night before, he didn't feel like doing proper Genin test, but he had to do it nevertheless. Sighing he started to explain his test.

"Alright", he said and took two silver bells from his vest's pocket and showed them to Genins. "As you can see, I have here in hand two silver bells. You mission is to take them from me, and you can use any tool, jutsu or strategy you know. Time limit is one hour, and who doesn't get the bell by the end of the time limit, they will end up tied into the stump while I eat my lunch in front of them", he said and placed alarm clock a top of one stump.

Sasuke's and Sakura's bellies grumbled loudly and they looked embarrassed. So _that's_ why he said not to eat breakfast, they thought sourly. Naruto quirked his eyebrows to them and looked then bells. Sakura seemed to notice too something out of the place in their test. "But... There is only two bells..."

Naruto snorted barely audible and said with crooked smirk. "That means that one of us will end up to stump anyways."

Kakashi gave him one-eyed smile behind his mask. "You figured it out quickly, Naruto-kun!" For some reason Naruto's crooked smirk gave him shivers and felt like something bad was going to happen soon. But he decided to ignore it for now and continued his explanation. "You won't get these from me, if you don't attack me with intent to kill and you can use even shuriken."

"But, sensei, you could get hurt!" Sakura screeched worriedly.

Naruto gave incredulous stare to pink haired banshee. "And what in the world makes you think that you could actually hurt Elite Jōnin, Haruno?" he asked his voice dripping ice and venom and left eyebrow twitching ever so slightly. "You are just a fresh out of the Academy brat with no skill nor talent what so ever, and he is battle hardened, experienced and seasoned Elite Jōnin, a former **ANBU Captain**. He could _kill you_ before you could even scream help."

Sakura paled at Naruto's words and Kakashi sighed. "You can begin... NOW!"

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

All three Genins disappeared into surroundings quite well. Well... Naruto disappeared without trace and Kakashi couldn't even feel his presence at all, and that left Kakashi completely perplexed. How the hell Naruto did it?

Kakashi took off and started to lay some harmless but effective traps into ground. He tried to search Naruto, but it was just in vain. That is, until teen emerged from ground suddenly and engaged silver-haired Elite Jōnin into taijutsu battle.

Kakashi delivered some light blows into Naruto's arms and legs, but nothing drastic, and also easily blocked boy's hits and kicks. Then sudden smirk visited in azure eyed teen's lips and he dodged easily now all Kakashi's strikes.

Kakashi soon figured out that Naruto was just toying with him, like Jōnin could easily toy with Genin.

Naruto speedily pulled kunai from his holster, spinning it by its hole in handle and then grabbed blade firmly into his hand and started to attack with it. Naruto proved to be extremely tricky opponent, as good as any Elite Jōnin, but seemingly not quite as good as Kakashi himself. Teen still gave him decent Elite Jōnin level fight and some not so nice injuries and bruises, and cracked three of his ribs.

Then Naruto decided to made it even harder for Kakashi by creating three _**Kage Bunshins**_. Using them as a distraction, he made an attempt to grab bells and was successful. Victoriously Naruto jingled bells to Kakashi and stuffed them then inside his jacket's pocket before dispelling his clones and merged into ground again disappearing.

And Kakashi was left completely astonished and utterly flabbergasted behind with scrapes, bruises and cracked ribs. Finally, sighing Elite Jōnin left to look for Sakura and Sasuke to do some testing, even though he didn't have any bells for them.

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

Hour passed quickly. Sakura fainted after falling a victim of one the Kakashi's genjutsus, and seeing pink-haired girl to faint, Kakashi wondered if he had gone a bit too far with it.

In meanwhile both Naruto and Sasuke in their separated locations heard shrill, absolutely terrified shriek. _**"GYAAAAARRRH!"**_

"Ah, that was definitely Haruno...", Naruto said out loud. "I wonder what Kakashi did to her...", he pondered and leaned against one of the three stumps in clearing, twirling silver bells in his fingers curiously and eyeing small bells. He stopped playing with bells and lifted it from its red string to his eye level, staring it as wind swayed it gently making it jingle gently.

Sasuke fared only a bit better than Sakura, and Sasuke ended up miserably stuck in ground only his head above ground and after Sakura who saw it, fainted again.

And then alarm went off finally, alerting them that time limit had been reached. Sakura ended up being tied into stump.

Naruto was there already in clearing, sitting a top of one the stumps, waiting them humming quietly some unknown tune as he gazed sky and passing clouds, two familiar looking bells tied in his belt. His facial expression was solemn and nearly unreadable.

Sakura's and Sasuke's eyes widened and eyebrows shot into hairline. How dobe had gotten bells? He didn't even have any injuries, or bruises that indicated that he had been in battle.

As Naruto heard them and finally decided to acknowledge their presence, the turned to look them, stopping humming. He watched as Kakashi tied Sakura to stump and pulled their lunch boxes out from bag, and sighed. He finally took bells of from belt and looked them in curious manner.

 _'I know what happens when I give these to those two morons. We pass this test and become his official students... First ones to ever pass his test',_ he thought and his eyebrows furrowed together.

Kakashi saw Naruto's face and knew immediately that Naruto had known whole time this tests' purpose. Now their team's future was in Naruto's hands. It was now left to see what Naruto was going to do.

Naruto sighed and gave solemn look at Kakashi, before he separated bells. "Uchiha, catch", he said and flipped other bell Sasuke.

Sasuke catched the small, jingling object and looked then it more closely, and his eyes widened. "A bell... How in the world you got them alone from him? Even I had some damn hard time with him and I'm supposedly the Rookie of Year, but you don't have even scratch on you."

"Eh...?" Naruto looked positively puzzled, and shook his head and flipped another bell to Kakashi. "That bell is for Banshee, but she can't even catch it currently, being tied down and all, so I'll leave it to your care... _**Sensei**_." Small smirk flickered on Naruto's face as he said that.

"Sasuke, what you mean, even you hard time with him?" Naruto asked confused. "It was easy, really. Like easy, light spar what I do with my ero-kyōfu."

Kakashi felt huge sweat-drop form back of his head and he face-palmed. "Naruto-kun, you have to take account that your kyōfu, Jiraiya, is Sannin, a Kage level shinobi. You have been training with him your whole life him as your opponent, so of course your fight against Jōnin would feel like an easy and light spar. To me it wasn't that easy or light as matter of the fact. You should be Jōnin, not freaking Genin, Naruto-kun", he said and rubbed his aching ribs. "But... Anyway, good job for getting both bells from me. That isn't easy feat to do alone. No-one before you has done that."

Naruto snorted and amusement flickered in his eyes. "Oh, that's _so_ weak. It's easy enough do alone, let alone with a team..." he said sarcastically and then he pointed Sasuke and Sakura. "What are you going to do to them? And our team as a whole anyways?"

"Maa maa, Naruto-kun. Don't forget Naruto-kun, that you are technically mid to high Jōnin level shinobi, if not Elite level just yet", Kakashi reminded him gently. "Your team... Yes, it would be just a shame not to pass you guys, because you, Naruto and Sasuke, show talents and skills and you have chances to become great in future. Sakura on the other... Until she decides to really concentrate her kunoichi career, she won't progress. You would become great team - if given enough time and motivation."

Naruto sighed. "Aa-ah... This just sucks. I have to be teamed with no-good fangirl. Uchiha is okay, I suppose, if he really try act like shinobi and concentrate in his shinobi career instead trying to be avenger for his clan", Naruto mumbled and gave solemn look to them. "Sensei, try be on time, if you pass us and train us really and not just laze around and reading _**Icha Icha**_. If you try anything stupid, I will start pranking you. Seriously, and you won't like it - at all."

Kakashi paled considerably. He knew Naruto's prankings and some of them were really notorious and gave nightmares years to come. "No, _anything but_ your pranks..." he shuddered with fear.

Naruto gave him raised eyebrow. "Now, are we passed and official Team 7, or what?" he asked, Kakashi nodded. "We passed and all, so yahoo", Naruto said flatly and dryly.

"Meet us tomorrow morning on Red Bridge by Konoha River", Kakashi said and he was going to continue say something, but was interrupted by Naruto.

"I have now something else to do, I can't linger here with you lazing around. Duty calls", Naruto said and merged to ground leaving his team once again utterly confused behind.

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

Kakashi sighed utterly defeated. If something good had came out of this, it was that he knew how strong Naruto about was, and now teen called him at least sensei instead Hatake-san. "What in the world I can do with that boy?"

Sasuke stared down at his lunch that Kakashi had given him. "Probably nothing much. Dobe is very stubborn when he really wants to be", raven-haired theen commented to that. "It'll take some time before he starts to come around and finally accepts this." He knew from experience it, he had known him for quite long time after all.

Kakashi gave raven-haired boy questioning look. "And you know this, because...?"

"I was his seatmate for years in Academy and I've known him even longer than that", Sasuke shrugged and ate delicious tomato slice.

Sakura stirred from her dazed state she had been ever since she saw Kakashi's genjutsu. "Hey, Kakashi-sensei, Sasuke-kun", she said, and both of them turned to look girl. "Did you see yesterday **ANBU** patrols? You know, I saw two real **ANBU** yesterday, with masks, uniforms and tattoo, all that. They stood on roof one of the houses and apparently spoke with each others and motioned all different directions and communicated with shooks and nods. Then they disappeared in blink of eye. Just like Naruto does sometimes."

Kakashi was incredulous. "You saw **ANBU** patrol yesterday? They had masks, uniform and tattoos? How they looked like?" he asked now curiously, even though he knew what they looked. Hell, he himself was a retired **ANBU Captain**.

Sakura stared ground for moment thinking, wind fluttering her long pink hair. "They had black pants, mesh shirts and sleeveles turtle necks, and they wore light gray standart **ANBU** vests and they had swords in their backs. Taller one had light brown hair and rat mask. Other one was younger definitely, about our age perhaps. If I'm not badly mistaken he was about Naruto's size and he had blinding golden yellow hair, and he wore wolf mask", Sakura described.

Kakashi's eyes widened with sudden realization when he heard that. _'Could... Could it be really possible?'_ he thought. "Sasuke-kun, let Sakura free. I have to go meet Sandaime and inform you guys passing my test. You both just eat those lunches in peace. Meeting tomorrow morning at 8 AM in same place I mentioned to Naruto earlier. The Red Bridge by the Konoha River."

That said Kakashi _**Shunshin'**_ ed _[Body Flicker]_ away leaving swirl of leaves behind and the two freshly passed Genin to eat their lunches.

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

Kakashi knocked the Sandaime's office's window before slipped inside and leaned against wall calmly. "Sandaime-sama, I have some questions about Naruto."

Sandaime looked to Kakashi from his paper work he had been writing. "Kakashi-kun, I have been waiting you to arrive", he said to silver-haired man and put his pen down. "Tell me about those questions, and I answer the best I can", he motioned to young Jōnin to take seat.

Kakashi sat down in comfortable seat and started from the very beginning. "When I met Naruto team assembly day in Academy, he showed his dislike towards me very clearly. I can't stop thinking why he dislikes me so much. Sandaime-sama, I hope that you could enlighten that for me a bit", he said clear confusion in his voice and only visible eye. "When I asked him about it, he said that he doesn't need to tell me about it. And secondly..." Kakashi cleared his throat before continuing. "Today I heard from Sakura something very interesting. She said she saw yesterday two **ANBU** patrol members and younger of duo was, in her opinion, Naruto's size, age and had blinding yellow hair."

Small, amused smile tugged corners of Sarutobi's mouth. "That's very interesting indeed."

"You know something about it, Sandaime-sama", Kakashi said accusingly.

Sandaime picked his pipe from his desk and lit it calmly, inhaling deeply. "Indeed I do know."

Kakashi frowned and sighed. "Sandaime-sama, tell me honestly... What the hell Naruto is really? He is Elite Jōnin level, that much I could deduct from short fight we had in during my test. He's driving me up to walls slowly with his acting and words. Is Naruto an **ANBU** member, or what?"

Sandaime stood up from his comfortable chair and walked to personal file cabinet. He trifled files through and picked finally one specific file. He gave it to Kakashi. "This is Namikaze-Uzumaki Naruto's true file, it includes everything from the moment he was born to latest mission he has done. That file is very confidental and has most highest security clearance available - you are exception to see this file now."

"As you know Naruto is Yondaime Hokage Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina's son. Gama Sennin Jiraiya the Gallant is his godfather, and he has been under his tutelage and guidance ever since Naruto was born. He has been teaching Naruto ever since boy could walk and taking care of him in your place when you were forbid to see Naruto. About four and half years ago Jiraiya came to me with Naruto and asked from me to permission to sign Naruto in **ANBU** to get experience in battles and field work. Naruto is, indeed, a full-fledged _**ANBU Operative**_ and he has his own **ANBU** team to which he belongs alongside with mask he wears. He does hard missions, patrols and tests security with his pranks - that is the reason he does pranks in first place. Originally Jiraiya signed Naruto in **ANBU** just to gain knowledge and better training with teams, because Naruto is his official successor both of his titles, as Gama Sennin and Spymaster."

Kakashi sweated as he thought about everything he had heard thus far. "What does Umino Iruka has to do with Naruto, except that he was his Academy teacher?" he asked. He had seen in file that Iruka was close friend to Naruto.

"That is something very interesting actually", Sandaime said and his eyes twinkled curiously. "Originally Iruka didn't like Naruto at all, because of Kyuubi, but he soon saw true Naruto and how he was lonely despite the fact the lived with Jiraiya. Naruto somehow grew onto Iruka and soon they became like brothers. Iruka is very familiar with Jiriaya and he knows that sannin travels a lot, meeting his contacts and other informants. Jiraiya on the other hand knows that Iruka likes and cares for Naruto very much, and has asked Iruka to look after Naruto while he himself is away on a missions."

"I see. It's like that then", Kakashi said. Naruto was enigma to him, confusing him to the no end. "Naruto is _**ANBU Operative**_ , but still just a Genin? Genin with Elite Jōnin level of strength and even greater knownledge?" he rubbed his face and closed his eyes. "This is going to be very unbalanced team..."

"So I take it that you passed your team then?" Sarutobi asked curiously, inhaling his pipe.

"Yes, it is true what Naruto said about our team. Sakura is delusional fangirl and she won't progress further if she doesn't stop fawning over Sasuke. Sasuke is kind of normal despite the fact that he is only survivor the Massacre that happened few years ago. He hasn't yet shown to me at least any avenger traits, and he doesn't like girls _at all_ ", Kakashi said and slight hint of amusement glimmered in his visible eye. "In fact, I think that I might have some sort of love drama in my hands before long."

Sarutobi's eyes widened in surprise. "Love drama in your team? Including Uchiha Sasuke, a boy known to be disinterested all sort of romantic things?"

Kakashi gave Sandaime grin that showed through his mask too. "You see, this is really interesting. As you know, my team includes Haruno Sakura, die hard Sasuke fangirl and she has huge crush on Sasuke. Sasuke on the other hand hates fangirls and doesn't want anything to do with them, and he doesn't like girls fawning over him. This is crusial turning point, and what I saw in Sasuke during our self-introductions... I think he likes Naruto, and is developing some sort of crush for him, not Sakura", he said amusement evident in his voice.

Sarutobi raised his eyebrows. "What makes you think that?" he asked curiously.

"During introduction he said that there is only one person he likes and gave some impercetible glances towards Naruto while saying it. Naruto is very indifferent toward the whole situation as whole. He doesn't care about if Sakura hates him and he's too dense to notice that Sasuke likes him. Sakura hasn't noticed anything _yet_ , but she will soon, if Sasuke doesn't start hiding it better", Kakashi said with one-eyed smile.

"Well... If that is true, then there goes all hopes for reviving Uchiha clan. Not that it really matters to me personally, it's the Council that might go ballistic once they finds it out", Saruto said and chuckled mirthfully.

Kakashi chuckled slightly as he imagined how the Council would go completely ballistic once they found out that their beloved last Uchiha was possibly gay (bi at very least) and wasn't going to revive prized _**Sharingan**_ _[Copy Wheel Eye]_ bearing clan. "Ah, too bad for Sasuke actually that Naruto isn't girl, you know. If he were a girl, then Naruto would help him to revive the clan", he mused.

Sarutobi barked loud laugh hearing that. "This sounds like some sort of romance novel, albeit not so normal romance novel. Something that Jiraiya might write."

Kakashi's eyes widened as he remembered something and he hit his fist in his open palm. "Ah! That reminds me, why Naruto doesn't mind me reading _**Icha Icha**_ series? And why Naruto is allowed to read them? Because last time I checked, he was still underaged."

Sarutobi smiled. "That's very simple. Naruto helps Jiraiya to write those books. He gives him information and inspirations. And Naruto's doesn't have to buy those books, because he gets those book straight from publisher as a _**thank you**_ gift. Naruto helps him to keep his deadlines and deals with publisher from time to time, under the _**Henge**_ _[Transformation]_ of course so that he looks like adult", he said. "Open the book you carry with you all the time with you and look last page of book."

Kakashi curiously took book from his flakvest's secure pocket and flipped it open from last page. There was picture he hadn't earlier paid any attention. Under picture was a text.

 _"I want to thank my dearest godson Naruto, who has been very great help all the way from writing and publishing this book. He has been very great source of information and inspiration, and most excellent help to write this story."_

Kakashi looked more closely picture and saw in picture where Jiraiya was widely grinning and thrown his arm over blond haired young man's shoulder who also grinned widely to camera. The young man in picture looked like older version of Naruto with whisker marks and all, something would be in four or five years. He looked very much like his father, Yondaime Hokage.

"Sandaime-sama... Is that young man is this picture Naruto?" Kakashi asked staring still picture. "He looks so much like our father."

"Indeed he is Naruto, under his specialized _ **Henge**_. Naruto uses his special _**Henge**_ when he is dealing with publishers and other stuff like that, so that everything would go without hassle", Sandaime said.

"Specialized _**Henge**_?" Kakashi asked, confused and snapped his book close, placing it back into it's safe pocket.

"Naruto developed his own version of _**Henge**_ some years go. His _**Henge**_ is solid, unlike the normal illusionary one, and he can hold it up months if necessary."

Kakashi let melancholy smile grace his face. "I still haven't gotten answer why he dislikes me so greatly."

Sandaime's earlier smile disappeared, leaving old Hokage look very solemn. "I know the reason, and I can tell you honestly, that he doesn't really dislike you. He will tell you when he is ready. Yesterday he told me honestly that he is worried about you, that you would be hurt if he let you too close to him emotionally. I can't reveal anything without his permission, so you have to wait until he is ready to tell, someone other person tells you about it with permission. Asking about it from Iruka could be good start."

Kakashi was confused. Naruto was afraid to let Kakashi get too close for himself emotionally, in fear that he could hurt him? The teen was afraid that he could hurt Kakashi?

Sandaime watched confused Kakashi with melancholy. Those two brothers had a sad history, both of them, and they deserved happiness in their lives more than anything.

"You asked me about how strong Naruto is, Kakashi?" Sarutobi said inhaling his pipe calmly. "You said it yourself earlier. Naruto is indeed Elite Jōnin level, and _**ANBU Operative**_ to boot. He is very strong, most likely as strong as you are, if not stronger. He never has used Kyuubi's chakra or power, only what comes passively - incredible healing rate, immunity to all poisons, nearly limitless stamina and continually increasing chakra reserves", he said. "As told before, Naruto is Jiraiya's succesor and heir in everything. I'm seriously thinking that Naruto would be my successor for Hokage's title someday when he is older and stronger. Rokudaime, if I don't live long enough to appoint him as Godaime. He has a true potential be greatest Hokage of village in future, greater than his father was."

"So, Naruto knows about Kyuubi then, doesn't he?" Kakashi asked and looked up to wall where Yondaime Hokage's picture was. "How did he react to that? Was he angry?"

Sandaime sighed deeply. "Naruto knows about his parents and Kyuubi. Yes, he was at first very angry, furious even. But it soon went over, and his anger was turned to grief and sorrow for his parents whom he would never know or see. Finally as time passed on and he learned more about Kyuubi incident, he gained sad understanding why it happened and why Kyuubi was sealed inside him. He understood perfectly that his father didn't have any other options left", Sarutobi said, his eyes gazing over the Hokage portraits, finally his old and wisened gaze stopping to Yondaime Hokage. "Three generations of Uzumaki has been doomed to spend their life in loneliness. First was Mito-sama, Shodaime's wife, first Kyuubi jinchuuriki, and next was Naruto's mother Kushina-chan. And lastly Naruto himself. This village has wronged them greatly, especially Naruto, they see him as the Kyuubi, not a human that he is. If Minato saw now Naruto, he would be immensely proud of his son, and angry and ashamed of the villagers how they have acted towards his son", he sighed. "I know that I am."

Kakashi stared also Yondaime's picture. "I truly wish that Minato-tousan was still alive. Situation would so much different now", he said his voice laced with sadness. "Does Naruto know about me? That I'm his adopted brother?"

Sandaime nodded his head. "He does, and he understands your situation, why you weren't allowed to see him at all. It would be better that you don't mention about your relations for now... Wait for better moment, and I'm sure that everything will be fine."

Kakashi noddeed, and they both stood for awhile in silence watching Minato's picture. Then Kakashi sighed. "Now, what am I going to do with Naruto? I can't probably teach him anything and he will be only slowed down by being in team of Genins."

Sandaime hummed thoughtfully. "Don't worry about it, Kakashi-kun. I'm sure that Naruto trains himself regardless what you do or say. He can be very stubborn when he really want be so. Trait he inherited from Kushina-chan."

Smile tugged Kakashi's lips. "Sasuke said earlier same thing about Naruto's stubborness."

― **TBC** ―

 _ **Jutsu List:**_

 _ **Kage Bunshin**_ _[Shadow Clone]_

 _ **Shunshin'**_ ed _[Body Flicker]_

 _ **Sharingan**_ _[Copy Wheel Eye]_

 _ **Henge**_ _[Transformation]_

* * *

Another one... Three more to go.


	4. Chapter 4 - Missions and Training

**December 16th, 2011**

 **edit on May 30th, 2015**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own NARUTO; it belongs it Kishimoto Masashi. No money was made by writing this.**

 **Warnings:** _ **Do not read if you do not like homoerotica.**_ **Will be eventual SasuNaru and KakaIru yaoi. Kind of AU-ish. Academy graduates are older than manga/anime, around age 15-16 yrs rather than 12-13 yrs.** **Strong, ANBU!Naruto... Not super!Naruto, though.** **Rated M to be safe.**

 **Summary:** Sasuke often fought with Naruto and called him moron based on how he acted on classroom - goofing off and playing pranks. Yet Sasuke was totally smitten with him. Then came the day of Academy Graduation Test. Naruto shocked everyone by revealing his true self. On team assembly day Sasuke and Naruto were placed onto same team, however Sasuke pretended not to care, like he always did. He had always hidden his true feelings he felt for the blond and so he continued to do so even now. But his problem was that Naruto wasn't as stupid as he had pretended to be. So, it was now only matter of time before his crush for his blond teammate would be discovered...

 **Keys for reading:** "Normal Speech", _'Thoughts'_  
 _ **"Jutsu name**_ _[english translation]_ _ **!"**_ _,_ **"Transmitter/mic/headset"**

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

 **Stillnight Presents**

 **Surprises**

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

― **Chapter Four: Missions and Training** ―

Sasuke followed with his gaze their team's blond member. He took notice of his appearance, Naruto had taken his baggy orange jacket off and wore only mesh shirt now.

Day was hot and humid, and training made them sweat increasingly. Naruto's well toned arms and torso glistened with sweat and golden bangs were partially glued with sweat to his face. Hitai-ate kept mostly his hair out of his face. He wore his normal orange cargo pants, black shinobi sandals and mesh shirt. Mystery about Naruto's tan had been solved, it was natural.

Sasuke swallowed hard as he followed with his eyes as Naruto and Kakashi sparred. It was only a 'light' spar as Naruto called it, but it was truthfully saying rough yet graceful Elite Jōnin spar. Nothing in that spar resembled to Jōnin-sensei and Genin-student spar.

They had been team now officially about nearly three weeks, and they hadn't yet done any missions, only concentrating to training. It had been at first disappointment, but Naruto had made it very clear that they weren't going to do any missions until he personally deemed them ready enough to go in first mission.

Team 7 in itself was rather dysfunctional, Naruto hated Sakura and her behaviour very blatantly and he didn't have any qualms of showing it clearly. Naruto still seemed to dislike Kakashi but recently he had come to liking their silver-haired sensei more and didn't show his dislike anymore so blatantly. That in itself was already miraculous to them. It seemed that Naruto tolerated Sasuke somewhat without problems, if he didn't do anything stupid.

Sakura still gushed and swooned over Sasuke, and raven-haired boy showed in every possible turn how much he disliked Sakura and fangirls in general by glaring and speaking increasingly rudely to her and them. Sasuke had silently thought that if every girl he met were like that, then he gladly would be gay if it meant that he didn't have to deal with girls, their screeching, squealing and swooning over and chasing after him.

And that was completely another matter altogether. He had tried to imagine himself to like other boys he knew, like that Inuzuka runt, lazy Nara boy or even that creepy Aburame bug-boy. He didn't even consider Akimichi, because he knew it was impossible, despite the fact that Chōji was nice guy in general. He went completely into goosebumps and even his hair back of his neck stood up. After that fact he had gotten into conclusion.

He wasn't straight, gay, bi or even asexual. Then what he was? Naruto-sexual was the answer. He snickered silently by himself thinking about that. Reviving his clan? Forget it. Or Itachi could do it by himself. And also avenging his clan could wait for quite while until he was much older and stronger. He wanted spend his time more with Naruto than seeking revenge for his clan. He knew that his parents would disapprove with him, or at least his father would. He didn't know so much about his mother.

Kakashi had asked Sasuke spar with Sakura, to push girl into her limits to get her stronger, while he himself paired up with Naruto. Of course Sasuke had been greatly disappointed, but also a bit relieved that he didn't have to spar against the blond. Naruto was just way too strong and rough opponent for them until they could get stronger.

Sakura had collapsed into ground into all her fours, panting harshly and sweating profusely, sporting some new bruises and scrathes. They stopped to rest for a while and watched Naruto and Kakashi spar. Sasuke would lie to himself if he said that if he didn't envy how strong and skilled Naruto truly was.

Naruto dodged every strike and kick lithely. He delivered strong, swift kick in Kakashi's midsection faster than Kakashi's eye could follow, and so he couldn't dodge or block it. Kick connected to Kakashi and silver-haired man flew across the training ground nearby tree, and they could hear painful crack from connect. Kakashi dropped to ground with pained grunt and panting harshly through his mask.

Naruto landed on ground lithely and walked up to Kakashi. "I think that your training has ended for today, and especially you, sensei. I bet that your body hurts insanely at this point. I would suggest you to go hospital get checked over. I _might_ have broken some of your ribs _again_ ", he said helping grunting silver-haired man to stand up. "Or I could do quick check up."

Naruto swept sweat from his face and took his hitai-ate off, and poured contents of his water bottle on his head, not caring if his cloths got wet, and shook his head then fiercely and brushed his hair back with his hands.

Sasuke was totally mesmerized by Naruto's appearance. Water was dripping from blond's hair and his skin glistened with water and sweat droplets. "Why it is so damn hot?" Naruto asked particularly from no-one, and shadowed his eyes with his hand from bright sun, and gentle gust of wind fluttered his golden, spiky unruly hair. To Sasuke, Naruto was most mesmerizing and beautiful person ever. No girl could ever compete with Naruto's beauty.

Sakura watched Sasuke as usual, swooning over him, but she quickly noticed same expression in raven's face as she herself or other girls had when they watched and spoke with Sasuke. She noticed that Sasuke was staring something rather dazedly and dreamily. Sakura frowned, was it about the person Sasuke said he liked? She followed Sasuke's eyes where he was looking, and noticed that she was staring straight at Naruto and his half-naked body. Then she looked back to Sasuke and and then again Naruto and again back to Sasuke.

Suddenly something clicked inside her mind. Sasuke always said that he wasn't interested about girls at all, and especially fangirls. So, was it actually possible that Sasuke liked _Naruto_ , and not some random girl? Her eyebrows furrowed together and she tried to imagine blond and raven together. Sudden memory of their accidental kiss back in class room team assembly day came in her mind.

 _ **"GYYYYYYAAAAAAAARRRRRHHHHH!"**_

And then she fainted her face completely red.

All three males of team 7 turned to look Sakura. Sasuke looked rather confused, and saw her flat-out cold on ground red-faced and completely out of it. "Okay... What the hell is wrong with her _**now**_?" he asked out loud, sounding exasperated and perplexed. "Sensei... She's acting all weird again."

Kakashi grimaced painfully as pain stung in his ribs. "Just wake her up. Ignore her weirdness. Was she ever normal even begin with?" he asked calmly. "We still have some taijutsu kata to do." He turned to look Naruto. "Naruto-kun, do you have your shift today again?"

During a nearly three weeks they had been an official team, Naruto had reluctantly told them about him being _**ANBU Operative**_ and training with **ANBU**. But he stressed that it was only because his kyōfu had requested that, and nothing more. He didn't want his team members start whining about how he got better training than they did, or something similar.

Naruto turned to look Kakasi with amusement. "Yes, I have. Once again, try not to follow me sensei, okay? I know every time you follow me, because your stealth skills still seriously sucks rather big time. Are you sure that you are former _**ANBU Captain**_? Because if you are, then you really have let your skills get really rusty", he smirked.

Kakashi let out pained chuckled. "It's you who is too good for your own good. You have way too sharp senses to let anything escape from you", he said. "My skills are still as keen as ever."

Naruto had gotten somewhat used to being teamed with those idiots and have this perverted man with his chronical tardiness as his sensei. He smirked amusedly. "If you aren't really careful I might be soon stronger than you are."

Kakashi smacked his forehead. "Damned brat..." he grumbled under his breath. He had managed to get closer to Naruto on emotional level, but it hadn't been easy, and they were still in rather wary ground. But least Naruto called him honestly sensei and was more open with them, and he had taken some sort of minor sensei role to teach Sasuke and Sakura some things that Kakashi hadn't thought yet.

Kakashi had to admit that Sasuke had been right about Naruto. He took his own time the get around the idea and accept their team.

"Sensei... don't you think that Naruto's last comment about becoming soon stronger that you is bragging?", Sakura asked now that she had awake again.

Kakashi looked to Naruto who was already doing his taijutsu kata movements and then looked to Sakura. "Unfortunately for me, it's very true. He is par with me, and due with the time, he will be stronger than me. There is no doubt about it."

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

Next day they all were finally standing in mission room receiving their first D-rank mission as a team. Iruka was sitting behind the mission desk and handing out mission scrolls and taking reports. When scarred man saw Naruto, he was honestly happy to see him.

"Naruto-kun, I'm glad to see that you have finally deemed your team strong enough to take them in their first mission", Iruka said happily.

Naruto gave hug to tanned man and laughed. "Iruka-sensei, you should say that to Kakashi-sensei, and not to me. You make it sound like I'm the sensei of team 7 and not Kakashi", he grinned.

Kakashi snorted softly. It was very true. "Naruto-kun, it's you who really decided when your team takes missions and when not. You also teach them things that I don't and you beat them to do harsher training than I do. I wonder why I'm even your sensei to begin with", he grumbled, although very amusedly and jokingly.

"Oi oi, sensei, don't forget that you asked me to be in your team before you knew how strong I was or that I'm _**ANBU Operative**_ ", Naruto said his eyes glittering with hidden mirth. "Iruka-sensei, would you like to catch some ramen or dango after our mission and your duty ends?" he asked from Iruka.

"Sure, that sounds nice. It's been while we were eating out", Iruka agreed readily. "Is your team coming too, or is it just you and me?" he asked looking Naruto's team. "It has been a while, hasn't it, Hatake-san?"

Kakashi looked down to desk where behind it tanned, brunet Chūnin was checking at the same time reports and handing out missions as he spoke to team 7. "It truly has been quite some time, Umino-san, that we spoke like this. I would be glad to come with you. We don't spend much time as a team and Naruto's duties as **ANBU** are eating away the time we could spend together", he said. "And Naruto has yet to fully come around that we are now his Genin team and that I'm his 'sensei'."

Understanding flickered in Iruka's eyes. "Ah, yes. I heard about that from Sandaime-sama. Naruto is rather stubborn and hard-headed", he said and scrathed shyly the long, thin scar that spread across his nose bridge. "Even I had some difficulties at the beginning and hard time with him, be he just somehow just grew onto me with time."

Naruto gave laugh at that as he remembered their not so peaceful and friendly start. "Yeah, I still remember that too, and it was mostly my fault for being to thick-skulled", he grinned sheepishly. "So, Iruka-sensei, what kind of missions you have to offer for us this time?" he asked changing the topic back to original one.

Iruka trifled through D-rank section and took some scrolls placing them into desk. "Cleaning out Inuzuka dog kennels. Help paint fences of nearby farm. Help fix the broken roof of Shiranui Genma's house." Naruto snorted amusedly and said something resembling: _What the hell that idiot this time did?_ "Help catch run away roosters from farm. Babysit the kids of Tachibana Meguri-san, and... Find Tora."

Kakashi's hair at back of his neck stood up from last two words. Naruto on the other hand just hummed thoughtfully and then suddenly smirked, and took one of the scrolls. "I think that it's time to introduce the newbies to Tora-tama", he said with devious smirk. "That is truly a challenging mission even most experienced shinobi. Tora-tama, that is. Although it so challenging mission I don't understand why it is classified as D-rank, because it's more of C-rank material than D-rank, just saying", he said and opened the scroll and reading mission description shortly before chucking it into his pockets.

Iruka grinned just as deviously as Naruto. "Very good choice, Naruto-kun. Very good choice indeed."

Sasuke and Sakura blinked owlishly, and looked then their sensei for answers. "What... finding the Tora-tama? Isn't it just a cat? How hard it can be?" Sasuke asked confusedly.

"Oh, no no no... Sure Tora-tama is a cat but it's far from normal cat", Naruto answered instead of Kakashi and Genins attention was drawed to him.

Kakashi paled notably behind his mask. "Na - Naruto-kun... Are you certain that you really want to introduce them to Tora-tama so soon? We have been team barely three weeks! Isn't it bit too soon and rushed?" As ridiculous as it sounded, Kakashi was nearly terrified about that cat. And as impossible it seemed too, he had done that mission as a Genin, that that was nearly two decades ago! "I swear to Kami that, that little demon is ninja cat!"

"What are you talking about, Naruto, Kakashi-sensei?" Sasuke asked, still as confused as before.

Naruto gave small devious smirk. "It's decided then. Our mission is to find and catch fire daimyo's wife's, Lady Shijimi's pet cat, Tora-tama, and return it to her. And I might add some warnings, it's not as simple as it sounds. Tora-tama is devious, fast and smart for a cat. She is most likely a ninja cat, though it has never been confirmed. She is ferocious little demon and very skilled at evading shinobi. And she bites - hard."

That might have sounded like nothing and rather normal even, but later on Sakura and Sasuke truly found out how hard it was catch that cat. Tora-tama was far more ferocious than they had anticipated, and she did bite - and she did it hard and often. Not forgetting that she scrathed the hell out of the Genins.

Only one that survived without notable bites and scratches and his cloths competely intact was Naruto for some reason.

Sakura's arms and face had several scratch marks, her left hand was bitten several times and bleeding. Her dress severely torn from several places and even her hair had suffered some damage and had been cut.

Sasuke was in no better condition, as Tora had scratched the hell out of normally pale and perfect porcelain skin. His arms were full of scrath and bite marks. His clothes had suffered some serious damage. His shorts had been torn from three different places and his shirt looked like it had gone through shredder. It was nothing sort of miracle that it was still in hanging barely in one piece and it seriously looked like it was going to fall of at any moment now. His normally perfect duck-butt hairdo was now sticking everywhere.

Even Kakashi hadn't been spared from damage. He had very few scratches in hands and his face. His mask had gotten one deep tear mark right under his right eye.

"Naruto, how the hell you managed to get out of this with out any scrathes or bites, not to mention without any harm at all?" Sakura asked totally curious as Naruto now carried perfectly happy and purring Tora-tama in his arms and petting her back.

"Ehh... This wasn't first time I have done this mission. She seems to like me quite much for unfathomable reasons", Naruto explained smiling and stroked Tora's ears. "I did warn you, didn't I?"

Sasuke grimaced. This mission had been totally something else he had never been experiencing anything like that before. "You certainly did. I didn't expect that finding and catching a cat would be this difficult and... Well, dangerous", he admitted. "This is going to cause severe problems when we enter back into village itself if the fangirls sees me like this", he grimace from just mere thought and shuddered violently.

Naruto nodded, Sasuke was right about it. "Just wait a minute", he said and shifted Tora in his arms and took his jacket off and threw it to raven. "Wear it. It might be bright colored but it's warm and comfortable, and most importantly in one piece", he said with amused smirk. "It should keep fangirls away from you hopefully."

Sasuke took the jacket, took his shredded shirt off and pulled jacket on with small, nearly unnoticiable blush. It smelled like Naruto, Sasuke noticed as he pulled the zipper completely up. He inhaled Naruto's natural gentle scent. He smelled also something else... Was it sen cha and jasmine?

When they finally returned to mission room, Naruto's upper body covered only with mesh shirt and carrying cat and Sasuke wearing Naruto's favourite orange jacked and holding in his hands shredded shirt, Iruka could easily see what had happened. He took easily note of team 7's ragged appearance. "Welcome back Team 7. I see that you have succesfully completed you first team mission", he said with smile and took Tora from Naruto's arms. "You seem relatively unharmed compared to some other Genin teams that had done this same mission before you."

Sasuke's face blanched. "Oh great... That makes is all the better", he cringed. "My favourite shirt... Completely shredded..." he mumbled ruefully.

"There there, Sasuke... Don't cry, okay?" Naruto said jokingly and rubbed Sasuke's back consolingly.

Iruka couldn't help but sweat-drop at the scene before him. "Anyway, good job for completing your first mission as a Team 7."

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

After they had completed their first mission as a team and had their dinner with Iruka, they went do some training. After that mission they continued training rigorously under Naruto's watchful eyes and days passed on calmly and quickly. They occasionally completed some missions that Naruto selected for them and ended up catching the Tora-tama three more times.

Sasuke and Sakura at first complained about missions more often than not that how they only did menial tasks. Naruto could understand why it felt to them frustrating and pointless, but after Naruto explained the missions what they were for. Babysitting the children was preparation for real bodyguarding mission, catching Tora was like tracking enemy nin, etc. Needless to say, after that they didn't complain not even once.

Naruto pressured their training as far as he safely could. He had decided that if he had really to stay in that team, they needed to become strong, and fast. He couldn't afford weak team and them being weak would get them get soon killed.

Although when two and half months had finally gone slowly by, Naruto had finally gotten adjusted to his Genin team and accepting them. But their problems were still far from being solved and he lashed at them - often - rather venomously and icy glares and comments especially to Sakura who still after being Genin two and half month fawned over Sasuke. Kakashi still continued to be chronically tardy no matter how many times Naruto beat him to ground for it.

Reluctantly Naruto had finally settled in sort of a routine of slashing out rude, cold, dry and sarcastic remarks and beating them into training.

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

Three months had passed slowly by and Team 7 got stronger as they trained and did missions, but were still far too behind for Naruto's liking, and he was getting frusterated for not getting onto better and higher ranking missions. He had lately been getting into rather bad moods from sheer boredom and frustration.

He was currently on his way to his favourite ramen stand to meet Iruka in name of dinner. Iruka was already there when Naruto finally appeared there.

"Hi and sorry that I'm late. Coming straight from team training session", Naruto said as he sat down to bar stool. "Kakashi versus me, again."

Iruka snorted softly to Naruto tone he had spoken. "I take it that you beat him yet again, no?" he asked turning his attention shortly to ramenstand's owner. "One pork ramen, please, Teuchi-san."

"Miso ramen, please", Naruto added right after Iruka and they continued their conversation. "So yeah... I cracked his ribs, again. I think it was third time in two weeks", he said, shaking his head. "How is your extended break from academy? Enjoying your free time and peace from little hellions?"

Iruka sighed. "Naruto-kun, you should stop cracking his ribs", he said disapproval clear in his voice. "And the break from academy, well... I do really enjoy my peace, thank you very much. You class was on of the most devilish classes I have so far taught. Especially you", he added accusingly.

Naruto grinned sheepishly and rubbed back of his head. "Sorry Iruka-sensei. I had to act like that to stay on safe side until I was shinobi. If I acted like my real self as an academy student, it would have raised suspicions and they would have started to think that Kyuubi has taken control of me. Villagers hates me enough as it is", he explained even though Iruka already knew it.

"Alright, here. Dig in, boys", Teuchi said placing ramen bowls in front of Iruka and Naruto.

"Thanks, ossan", Naruto said and took chopsticks and snapped then apart and started to eat.

Teuchi knew Naruto and Iruka enough not to butt in their conversation, and he left two brother like guys alone.

"Sadly enough, I know that, Naruto-kun", Iruka said sighing deeply. "But now you can finally show your strenght and personality without putting yourself in danger", he said.

Naruto nodded and inhaled his noodles. "This is so goooood ~!" he said with moan.

Iruka couldn't help but sweat-drop at Naruto. "... So, how are things with your team going on in general, Naruto-kun?" he asked while they both ate.

Naruto stopped to drink water. "Well... We are slowly getting by. I'm tolerating them and their idiocies, most of the time, anyway. Sakura is still constantly swooning over the bastard - erm, Sasuke I mean. Bast... erm, Sasuke himself is acting super weird, giving me all those odd looks when he thinks I don't see him doing it. Kakashi is... well, Kakashi", he said and drank ramen broth. "Still being chronically tardy no matter what I say or do to him. And he still reads _**Icha Icha**_ in public as usual. I'm not saying that there is anything bad about those books, but they tend to get a bit boring after a while reading them so many times."

Iruka sweat-dropped again. That was something you didn't expect to hear from 15-year-old one's mouth. Oh, he know that Naruto read those books too, because blond helped the author with them by proof-reading them before publishing. And Naruto had given him a whole series including special editions and deluxe versions and posters and what-not else had came with those saying rather decidedly: _"If I'm going to suffer these books, you are going to suffer with me, sensei!"_ And so he had been forced into reading whole series of porn novels of _**Icha Icha Paradise**_. And he had been hooked ever since.

"Are your teammates getting stronger, Naruto-kun?" he asked after a while of his thoughts of _**Icha Icha**_. "I really hope that they are."

"Slowly, Iruka-sensei, slowly. They would progress faster if they would stop complaining constantly and start act like real shinobi instead of the bunch of an idiots", Naruto sighed rather resignedly. "If I'm going to stay in that team I need them strong. If they are weak they are going to get seriously in danger and injured some day, even maybe die if they don't start take this seriously soon."

"Well, keep pressuring your teammates and don't take any higher missions until they get strong enough for them", Iruka said. "Or if that doesn't help, put them under genjutsu and show them what can and will happen if they do not start act like shinobi and drop their antics, Sakura especially. That is one of the most commonly used method to get Genins to shape up."

Naruto gave some serious thoughts for it. "That is actually good idea. I will use it. Thanks for the tip, sensei", he said and his frown smoothed a bit.

"Another bowl please, ossan", Naruto and Iruka said in unison.

Teuchi gave them amused look and get into the work. Soon in front of Naruto and Iruka was steaming bowls of ramen. Duo ate in peace, paid their meals and then left to walk together towards Mission assembly Hall while talking.

"You have mission desk duty today?" Naruto asked as they finally entered in building.

Iruka nodded. "Yeah. With Genma and Raidō", he said and looked around in hall. "And looks of it, it's going to be going at snails pace and boring, too", he said sighing.

"I would really like to get away for awhile from my team. About a week or so. Something challenging, rather solo mission. B- or A-rank would do nicely", Naruto said scratching his head, sighing. "I'm going nuts with them soon. Ever since I got stuck with that team I haven't done anything but those lowly, insanely boring D-ranks, not even single C-ranked one."

Genma and Raidō were in hall already and greeted Naruto and Iruka. Iruka rummaged through A-ranked section and finally found nice and simple mission. He tossed it to Naruto who caught it with ease and opened it. "High A-ranked?"

"Getting rid of group of bandits and three rogue low ranked Jōnins from Kusa who are terrorizing nearby village here? Mentions that Jōnins have bounties in their heads... Sound nice and easy", Naruto said. "I'll take it. And I suppose that I'll get the bounties as well when I bring their heads as a proof?"

"Yeah. Do that and you will get the bounties, Naruto", Genma said. "I'll mark in the notes that you have taken that mission. When you will leave?"

"Tonight, in two hours", Naruto said and put the scroll on his pocket. "Ne ne, Iruka-sensei... How about you come with me? We haven't gone in mission together... what, in a year?"

Iruka nodded. "It's have been busy year with your class being graduating class and you causing mischief with your pranks around the village while checking the security", he said humming. "And I do really need some money for new cloths and for new bed. Current one is killing my back", he admitted.

Naruto lifted his fist questioningly and Iruka finally bumped it with his own fist. Genma coughed and asked. "So will I add in here that Iruka is your partner for this mission?"

"Yes. It's settled then", Naruto said with confident smile. "We are the team of two in this mission. Let's meet in Eastern Gate in two hours."

― **TBC** ―

* * *

This is getting ridiculous. Still, I want to put it up there. Two more to go... Cheers.


	5. Chapter 5 - Iruka and Naruto on Mission

**December 16th, 2011**

 **edit on May 30th, 2015**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own NARUTO; it belongs it Kishimoto Masashi. No money was made by writing this.**

 **Warnings:** _ **Do not read if you do not like homoerotica.**_ **Will be eventual SasuNaru and KakaIru yaoi. Kind of AU-ish. Academy graduates are older than manga/anime, around age 15-16 yrs rather than 12-13 yrs.** **Strong, ANBU!Naruto... Not super!Naruto, though.** **Rated M to be safe.**

 **Summary:** Sasuke often fought with Naruto and called him moron based on how he acted on classroom - goofing off and playing pranks. Yet Sasuke was totally smitten with him. Then came the day of Academy Graduation Test. Naruto shocked everyone by revealing his true self. On team assembly day Sasuke and Naruto were placed onto same team, however Sasuke pretended not to care, like he always did. He had always hidden his true feelings he felt for the blond and so he continued to do so even now. But his problem was that Naruto wasn't as stupid as he had pretended to be. So, it was now only matter of time before his crush for his blond teammate would be discovered...

 **Keys for reading:** "Normal Speech", _'Thoughts'_  
 _ **"Jutsu name**_ _[english translation]_ _ **!"**_ _,_ **"Transmitter/mic/headset"**

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

 **Stillnight Presents**

 **Surprises**

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

― **Chapter Five: Iruka and Naruto on Mission** ―

The very first thing Naruto did after agreeing that mission was going to pack everything he needed. He went straight to **ANBU HQ** to change his clothing to his **ANBU** uniform and he packed enough weapons, soldier and blood pills, empty storage and message scrolls, ratio bars and other equipments.

Naruto's uniform was contructed of short sleeved mesh shirt, sleeveless black turtleneck shirt, mask very similar to one Kakashi wore, black **ANBU** pants, leg and hand bindings, black shinobi sandals and his own uniquely modified version of gray **ANBU** vest. In his hands he had metal plate covered black leather gloves without fingertips, in his belt was a weapon pouch containing his tools, weapons, rope, chakra wire etc. Another, different looking pouch contained basic first aid kit, soldier and blood pills, painkiller, desinfectant, bandages, some medical scroll and healing herbs, venoms and anti-venoms. He had kunai and shuriked holsters on his both tights for easy access to his weapons, he also had kodachi strapped in his back, he wore long, red scarf. His hitai-ate was tightly tied in his forehead and his golden hair framed his face very much in Yondaime like manner and in his left shoulder was **ANBU** tattoo. He had left his porcelain wolf mask into his locker.

Naruto swiftly leaped from roof to roof toward Hokage tower to meet old man and inform him his mission. As usually he entered from window in office with out knocking.

"Hey, jiisan. I got this new high A-ranked mission with 'Ruka-sensei", he said as he crouched to window sill. "I need you to inform... my team...", he speech was cut short as he saw Kakashi stand in room, leaning against the wall casually giving his bi-monthly team report to Sandaime. "Oh, hey, Kakashi-sensei. This makes it easier", he said delighted.

Kakashi blinked owlishly. Was that person Naruto who was wearing that **ANBU** uniform, without mask though? He nearly didn't recognice teen, only his eyes, hair color, and voice gave him away. Naruto was going into high A-rank mission alone with Umino Iruka?

Sarutobi's eyes were glinting with hidden amusement seeing Kakashi's obvious confusion and he buffed his pipe. "So, Naruto-kun, you finally managed to convince him to go into mission again?" he mused. "How you did it?"

"We got three low Jōnin ranked Kusa missing-nins and group of bandits to deal with. We are of course going split everything we get from this mission. Iruka admitted that he needed some extra money for new cloths and bed. His current bed is piece of junk and sleeping on couch would more healthier than in bed itself", Naruto said shaking his head disapproving for a such a thing.

Then he grinned rather deviously. "This is going to be so much fun ~ ! I was going nuts with all those crappy missions and constant whining of Genins so I _had_ to get away from them for awhile. I'm going to be away about week or so, so I'll be missing my team training. Kakashi-sensei, train them hard for me, okay?" he asked and got the much more serious. "When I get back from this mission I'll be putting them under genjutsu to show that what this _very nice_ reality of shinobi life is and show them what can and _will_ happen if those two dunceheads aren't going to take this seriously soon", he said seriously, sounding much older than his nearly 16 years whould indicate. "You know _who_ and _what_ I am. As that is said, I can't afford a weak team with me. I'm gonna make them strong even if they are going to hate me for it, and by using force if I have to."

Kakashi finally found his voice. "I know that, Naruto-kun, I know that very well. I will do my best break their bad habits while you're gone, though I doubt it will happen without that genjutsu."

Naruto nodded and was already turning to leave, when he suddenly remembered something. "Oh, and please water my plants while I'm gone, sensei. There are traps at every entrance to my place, but I'm sure you can figure them out easily, and remember re-activate them again once you leave", he said and triffled his pocket of his vest picking something from there, throwing it to Kakashi. "Here's spare key for you, and don't touch my books without my permission, ne?" with that said he already disappeared in gust of wind.

Kakashi grasped the key tightly in his right hand and stared the spot where Naruto had crouched just few second earlier, and face-palmed then. Sandaime chuckled bemusedly. "At least he trusts you that much that he gives you his spare key to his home. That is much from Naruto's part, Kakashi-kun", he said to silver-haired Jōnin.

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

Naruto appeared with swirl of the leafs the Eastern Gate where Iruka was already waiting him and chattering with two familiar Chūnins, Kotetsu and Izumo. Naruto greeted them with great enthusiasm. "Sup, Kotetsu, Izumo? Guarding gates again?"

"Yo, Naruto. Going in mission with Iruka-kun?" Izumo guestioned. "What rank you managed to get?"

"High A-rank, if it's succesful, we can get quite amount of money from this. Three Kusa missing-nins, low Jōnin ranks. Bunch of bandits", Naruto answered.

Kotetsu whistled hearing that. "Nice mission. Since you both are here now, you can go. Good luck with your mission. Don't die."

Naruto and Iruka both nodded and gave Chūnins two fingered salute before they both disappeared. Only while later Chūnin academy teacher paid some attention to Naruto and noticed complete lack of orange. "Eh, you left you jumpsuit back home this time and used your real gear this time?" he asked.

Naruto laughed. "Yeah. Orange is nice color and all, but it's not very good for stealth, especially for higher ranked missions like this one", he said as they leaped from tree to tree. "Besides, I don't want to ruin my favourite jumpsuit. They are hard to come by."

Iruka chuckled hearing that. "They won't fit you forever, you know, Naruto-kun. If you are anything like your father, then you are going to soon, in year or two, out grow them."

Naruto groaned for that. "And that's why I wear them so often now when I can, Iruka-sensei", he said and frowned. "Talking about my dad, let's use some code names in this mission. I don't want to spread our names for our enemies to hear. That's why I have my face covered with mask. I look _way_ too much like my dad and my whiskers are just too distinguishable to be forgotten when seen them once."

Iruka nodded approvingly for Naruto's reasoning as it made perfect sense. "My codename will be Umi. It means sea", he said and blond nodded.

Naruto thought for awhile. "Uzushio. The thwirling tides", he said finally. "My mom was from Uzu no Kuni, and her home village was originally called Uzushiogakure before it's destruction in Second Great Shinobi War", he chuckled. "I don't know what in parents minds have been when they named me as Naruto. Whirlpool Maelstrom", he groaned again.

Iruka chuckled out loud at Naruto. "Uzushio, how appropriate name for you. And it as well matches with mine. Umi and Uzushio", he said and they both fell into silence.

They travelled the incredible speed that only **ANBU** was able to. Much later when night was rabidly aproaching they were finally forced to stop and make a camp. While chewing their ratio bars Naruto furled the map open to a ground and peered it closely in fading light.

Naruto poked the map with finger. "This is where we are currently", he said and poked place in map, and then he followed trails on map and stopped his finger nearby showing village. "Our targets are estimated to be here", he said and tapped map with his index finger and took a sip from water bottle. "If we can keep travelling the whole way in there same speed we currently kept coming here... We should arrive there in day and half", he said and peered map one more time closely narrowing his eyes. "Can you keep up with me, Umi?"

Iruka peered map as well closely and saw that Naruto was right. "Yeah, it shouldn't be a problem at all", he answered. "Have you any kind of plan how to confront out targets?"

"Not anything solid yet, but I'm thinking about it currently as we speak", Naruto said started to play with kunai to clear his thinking. "I think you can handle alone those bandits. It should be easy job for you, unless there are more unconfirmed or former shinobi. There is ..." he said and pulled mission scroll out and open reading it. "... 53 bandits according the information we have currently. But let's be careful anyways. Those rogue Kusa-nins are all confirmed to be low Jōnin ranks, so it will take some careful planning from my part", he said thoughtfully and then he grinned. "How are your trap making skills?"

Iruka gave devious smirk. "As sharp as ever. I have some chakra wire, exploding tags, shock tags and flash tags with. I'm sure that I can figure something out with them", he said grinning widely. He loved making traps.

Naruto and Iruka were perfect team. They both thought similarly and their skills and abilities complemented each others, and their personalities were quite matching, too. They both were pranksters to a boot, and they had mile wide streak of mischief and deviousness.

While they ate their yucky tasting ratio bars they planned their strategy to confront their targets. And finally much later, they both fell asleep, while Naruto's _**Kage Bunshins**_ _[Shadow Clones]_ kept guard for a night.

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

Reading his favourite _**Icha Icha**_ novel fifth time Kakashi was on his way to bridge to meet his team when remembered that Naruto was away with Umino Iruka in mission. Naruto's apartment was nearby so he decided to give short visit in there to water Naruto's plants.

He shortly arrived to Naruto's apartment building. It looked like it was going to collapse soon, walls were covered with graffitis and there was cracks here and there. Disapproving Naruto's living district he shook his head and pulled the key out. He turned the key in lock and grabbed the door knob, but he got immediately zapped with mild raiton jutsu. It was then when he remembered Naruto say something about traps in his home's every entry way. So he begin his fight with the traps to gain entrace into apartment itself.

It took him good half of an hour to disable all traps before he even go inside the apartment to water those damn plants, and he few more time to shot from mild exploding tag, few raiton jutsu and thrown by small shock tag and drenched by mild suiton jutsu.

And it wasn't just about one or two, or even three of those plants, but whole 14 of them. And insides of the apartment came quite shock to Kakashi. It looked completely different than shamble looking outside.

Floors were made of planed, polished oak wood, walls polished smooth and painted wood. Furnitures fine materials, leather couch was expensive looking and chairs and tables and desks were polished woods. Floors were covered with fine, expensive carpets and on windows were covered by purple colored, real silk curtains. In walls, Kakashi noted, was rows after rows of shelves, all filled with scrolls, books, notes and manila folders, stacks of paper.

There was also few pictures about Naruto's parents Minato and Kushina. Jiraiya and Naruto together, when Naruto was toddler, from all ages to current day, similar pictures about Iruka and Naruto, and even one picture where all three of them were in same picture, Naruto as academy student, perhaps 8 or 9 years old, Iruka as younger and his hair down and Jiraiya same as usual, perhaps less lecherous looking than normally.

Then there was Team 7 teamphoto, and another big group photo containing about ten people in picture, all of them holding porcelain animal mask in their hands next their faces, not in front. Their faces were bare, and recogniceable, Kakashi noted and he already had recogniced all of the faces in that picture. He also noticed that everyone in that picture seemed genuinely happy of taking that picture and tiny Naruto was being hugged by female members. "Naruto's **ANBU** team..." he spoke out loud as he realised it.

Then he noticed that there was few more pictures. One of the photos was Naruto and Sarutobi Hiruzen, Sandaime Hokage sitting in floor with Naruto and playing shōgi, tea cups nearby. _'Naruto and Sandaime-sama are really close if they play shōgi together'_ , he realized suddenly.

Then he turned to look last five pictures that were left. One was Jiraiya's Genin photo with Sandaime as their teacher and blond flat-chested girl and pale skinned, black-haired boy. Second was Jiraiya with Minato as child. Then there was next Team Minato picture, which Kakashi recogniced easily, as it was also Kakashi's team picture, and in that photo there was Kakashi, Obito and Rin in front and Minato behind the children.

Fourth picture was about busty blond-haired woman with honey colored eyes and purple diamond mark in her forehead and on her neck was hanging greenish crystal necklace. Woman was hugging tightly 7 or 8 years old Naruto with wide, happy grin. _'Tsunade-sama'_ , he realized with mild shock.

It was really the last photo that stopped Kakashi, froze him completely and left him shocked to the core. It was picture about Kakashi himself, it was when he was still serving in ANBU. He remembered that after that mission when he had barely survived and spend nearly month in hospital, he had quit being **ANBU** and returned to be normal Elite Jōnin. In photo Kakashi was sleeping in hospital bed, covered with bandages. In next to him in bed there was curled into ball, small gold haired child, whisker marks on his cheeks, sleeping and holding his hand. It was obvious that picture was taken secretly. Most likely by one of the hospital staff or by Jiraiya, or even by Hokage himself.

"Naruto..." he whispered and touched the picture gently. It was clear that Naruto cared. Really _cared_ about him. "That's it. When he comes back from his mission I will confront him and ask him about the truth, and I will get it", he muttered and swiftly took small tour in house.

He saw two doors and name plaques in them. Other plaque read "Naruto" and other one "Jiraiya". Ah, so Jiraiya lived with Naruto when sannin wasn't on missions or checking his spy network. That also explained why place looked so neat and had expensive furnitures. More than likely Jiraiya hired to someone to fix this place look like this, Kakashi thought.

Kakashi returned to living room and took closer look about the books. He remembered Naruto mention something about not to borrow his books without his permission. His jaw was left hanging open as he saw the books. Naruto had _**all**_ the _**Icha Icha**_ series books, with author's signature to boot, including the rare special and deluxe editions, posters and even uncensored and unrated _**Icha Icha**_ movie. Now he realized _why_ Naruto had said that to him. Because blond had known that he would want to borrow some of those books immediately!

He shook his head and quickly grabbed the watering can and went to kitchen to get water. In there he noticed to package in kitchen table with note a top of it. Being the curious person, he put the watering can down and read the note, and regretted immediately.

 _Naruto,_

 _My publisher sends you these newest and yet unpublished Icha Icha books as per usual with his best regards. I stopped by to drop them for you, but disappointing as it was, you weren't home. (I would've loved to see you again!) But here, as promised, two pieces of Icha Icha Love book. One for you and another for Iruka-kun. You two, enjoy the newest book ~ !_

 _Ps. I'll be coming home next time for prolonged period of time a week or so before the Chūnin exams with some news about Akatsuki and Itachi. Until then, stay out of the trouble, ne, Naruto-chan?_

 _Your kyōfu (Godfather) Jiraiya_

Kakashi blinked several times and tried to get his brains to function normally. Then his heart started to beat furiously. Newest, yet unpublished _**Icha Icha**_ novel was right in his reach, but yet he couldn't read it. _**What a torture!**_

He grabbed the watering can again and rushed to fill it to fulfill his duty and water those damned plants. With several deep, disappointed sighs he watered all 14 of them. After that he checked that everything was in order, re-activated the traps and locked the door. He noticed that he had easily spend quite some time, over two hours in Naruto's home alone.

He finally arrived at the bridge he had agreed to meet his Genins and met rather irate looking Sakura and deeply sulking Sasuke.

"Yo!" he greeted them.

Sakura hearing his voice turned to yell him. "You are late pretty damn near 6 hours! What is your excuse this time?!"

Kakashi looked sheepish as he started to explain. "Well, you see. I was at Naruto's apartment, and I had to fight my way in through of nearly 50 traps, and then there was watering the plants itself. There was 14 of them. _**Fourteen**_ , can you imagine that!" he said and looked mournfully at his hand. "I got hit few times with raiton jutsu, exploding tags and shock tags, and even drenched with small suiton jutsu."

Sakura was going to yell him a LIAR as usual but now that she a took closer look at her sensei, she saw that man looked actually a bit singed and suffered. Sakura was completely perplexed that he was actually telling the truth this time.

Sasuke perked up hearing that Kakashi had been in Naruto's apartment, Sakura hurriedly looked around and noticed that Naruto was missing. "Ne, ne, sensei? Where Naruto is anyway? He is later that you, and that is unheard of. He is always on time and early", she asked her brows furrowing together.

"Ah, yes. Naruto will be away a week or so for a mission with Umino-san. Naruto-kun told you to train hard and not slack off", Kakashi said. Naruto had not said exactly that, only to train hard until he go back.

Sasuke frowned. "What kind of mission it was and what rank?" he asked worriedly and started to pace around, biting his lower lip. "When he left?"

Kakashi quirked his right eyebrow curiously. This was completely new. Worry-wart Sasuke. "They left yesterday evening, and their mission was to wipe out group of lowly bandits and some low Jōnin ranked missing-nins from Kusa. If I remember it corretly, Naruto said that their mission was high A-rank one."

Sasuke stopped pacing around, pushed his hands is shorts pockets and tried lean coolly agains bridge railing.

"Maa, Sasuke-kun. Don't worry, he'll be okay. Naruto-kun wouldn't ever take a mission that wasn't within his skills. Besides, he didn't go alone there, Umino-san will be with him", Kakashi said trying to ease Sasuke.

"But how Naruto could take a mission with only a Chūnin? Naruto is a Genin, for the god's sake!" Sakura muttered, unadmittingly worried too.

"Naruto is technically Elite Jōnin level and formally _**ANBU Operative**_ , or did you already forget that, Sakura-chan?" Kakashi asked with raised eye brow from Sakura.

Sakura blanched. "Yeah, it totally slipped from my mind. But he still better come back alive with Iruka-sensei!" she said with deep scowl.

Kakashi heard Sasuke mutter something. "... Agree with Sakura." Silver-haired man raised his eyebrow amusedly to them. "Alright, enough with this musing. Let's get on with your training, shall we? The hell would break loose, or worse, if Naruto finds out that you aren't training while he is away", he mused. "And don't bother to complain that Naruto-kun can't punish you for slacking, because he definitely can and will. So don't give him reason to do it."

A sudden, violent shudder went through both of Genins from a mere thought.

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

At the very moment Naruto sneezed somewhere relatively far away in forest, and nearly fell to the ground from tree branch he was standing if only a fraction of second. Slipping he managed somehow to keep his position.

Iruka not far from him stopped to stand on his branch and turned to look Naruto worriedly. "Are you okay, Uzushio? You are not getting sick now, are you?" he asked and looked Naruto with slight, worried frown.

"I'm okay, really, Umi. I just got this weird gut feeling for a second and next thing I knew I was sneezing", Naruto said sniffing and stared suspicion around them in forest.

"What kind of gut feeling it was?" Iruka asked worriedly. In shinobi world the gut feeling was most of time important part of survival instincts.

"Just like someone was using my name and reputation to scare someone. Unpleasant feeling", Naruto sad and Iruka sweat-dropped. "I just wonder if that scarecrow remembered to water my plants."

"I'm sure he did. He wouldn't risk you start hating him, you know. He wouldn't dare to forget it, especially when you showed that kind of trust to him for first time. And because you are still bonding as a team", Iruka said.

Naruto shrugged non-chalantly and he finally continued running. "I guess so. Well, we'll see it when I return back home", he said.

Iruka nodded and resumed their running too in silence.

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

 **"Uzushio, are you in your position?"** Naruto heard question from his communicator. Like was a tiny bit crackling but other wise clear.

 **"Uzushio listening. I'm in my position, and everything is clear so far. You, Umi?"** Naruto asked whispering into communicator.

 **"Umi listening. I too am in my position, and everything is clear too. I see my targets clearly and they are where they are supposed to be"** Iruka confirmed. **"What is your situation in there?"**

Line crackled a bit and was unclear for few seconds, but cleared then. **"Stupid devises..."** Naruto muttered under his breath. **"Good, keep your targets closely on eye and don't act yet. My targets are also where I want them to be, and here hasn't been any problems thus far"** , he confirmed too. **"Let's keep them on eye for awhile, until the night fall and then we determine best course of action."**

 **"Roger that, Uzushio."**

They spend nearly half day keeping their targets in eye to see if they were something up. As soon as Sun finally went down, duo of Konoha shinobi silently jumped down from their hidings, infiltrated into camps keeping their presence and chakra concealed setting numerous traps all around the places.

When they finally were spotted, utter chaos erupted when Naruto's and Iruka's traps went off, causing several huge explosions and shockwaves across the campsite.

While Iruka took bandits, Naruto engaged the missing-nins with help of his _**Kage Bunshins**_.

He hurled kunai to missing-nin nro 1 did handsign and shouted loudly: _**"Kage Kunai no Jutsu!**_ _[Shadow Kunai Technique]_ _ **!"**_ And one kunai suddenly multiplied by 50 kunai. All while missing-nin was concentrating to dodge all kunai, Naruto used this diversion at his advange, and merged into ground and then emerged again right behind missin-nin. He engaged missing-nin this time into taijutsu battle using his godfather's taijutsu style. They exchanged some blows in rapid pace, both getting some hits delivered in their goal. Finally Naruto got enough irritated to end it fast.

He took one single kunai and wrapped explosive note around it's handle, activated it with his chakra and threw it then towards his target. It didn't hit, but it really didn't need to. It landed about one feet away and then it _**EXPLODED!**_ His target died immediately. He covereded his eyes from bright flash and shock wave explosion caused, and right after when it died down, he hurried to see was there anything left of his target.

Naruto felt nauseated when he saw the target. It was nearly completely mangled unrecogniceable. He quickly did some seaching to see if it has some information containing scrolls or something else equally important. Then he unceremoniously chopped his head off and sealed it in storage scroll.

Then he did fast handseals to small katon jutsu to burn missing-nin's corpse. As he hurried to his next target he spoke his communicator.

 **"Uzushio reporting. Umi, what is the situation over there currently?"** he asked. **"I succesfully got rid one of the missing-nins and took his head off. It's sealed. No injuries sustained from fight. Two targets left, and I'm currently in my way to check another of them as they are fighting with my** _ **Kage Bunshins**_ **."**

 **"Umi listening. Well done, Uzushio. Situation here is good and under perfect control. Thus far killed 27 bandits, and 5 of them were lo w** **Chūnin ranked missing nins. Two from Iwa, two from Kiri and one from Suna. I will secure their heads after this is over"** , Iruka reported back to Naruto.

 **"Good. Inform me if something unexpected happens suddenly or you get seriously injured, so I'll rush in you help"** , Naruto said. **"Uzushio ends report."**

 **"Roger that. Don't die, Uzushio."**

 **"Like wise, Umi. Don't die."**

Naruto shortly arrived into fighting scene where his clone was fighting against missing nin nr 2 and he hurried to take his clone's place. He placed his hand into clone's shoulder and said. "Job well done. You are free to go now. I'll take from now on." Clone nodded and then it just poofed out of the existence. Fine amount of chakra and memories and experience flooded in him, and he quickly sorted them.

"Quite skilled you are brat", said his new target, missing-nin nro 2. "Judging how you were able to keep you clone fighting with me that long, and your clothing and skills and abilities you showed this far... I'd say you are at least high ranked Chūnin or low ranked Jōnin", missing-nin said.

Naruto raised his eyebrows to missing-nin and chuckled then. "Oh, you're talkative one, aren't you?" he said and crouched into ground, pulling kodachi from his back. "I hate to say this, but were wrong about my ranks. I am indeed just a Genin, but I'm **ANBU** too. Have been four and half years already, **ANBU** , that is. I am in my strenght Elite Jōnin level."

Missing-nin blinked. "Genin? **ANBU**? You? That's one hell of messed situation there", he said finally.

"Officially I'm a Genin, I have my Genin team and Jōnin sensei, I have other relatives than adoptive brother who 14 years older than me and godfather with whom I live and I read porn novels that my godfather writes", Naruto snorted softly as he said that. "Unofficially I have been _**ANBU Operative**_ four and half years, I was made **ANBU** over four years before I made a Genin officially. **ANBU** me exists as much as does Genin me, but it's well hidden. I have my own mask, I am the WOLF, ŌKAMI", continued smiling behind his cloth mask that covered his lower part of face.

Missing-nin burst in laughter. "You are a quite character, aren't you, Ōkami-kun?" he asked.

Naruto chuckled as well. "In this mission I am not an **ANBU**. I have no porcelain mask, see? My code name is Uzushio", he said. "Neither I am Genin, but simply who I really am", he continued. "You seem rather nice fellow, mister, but as it is my mission I have to kill you. Too bad."

Missing-nin nodded understanding. "It truly is. Under other circumtances we might could have been friends", he said and readied himself to attack.

"True. But now, I shall kill you and take your head with me", Naruto said. "Good bye, and don't remember me badly in after life, my friend", he said and moved, leaving only blurred after image. Before Kusa nin even managed to move his kunai to defend himself, his head was already severed from his body.

Naruto's gear was sprayed with blood and his face was also bloodied. He sealed head quickly in scroll and searched missing-nin's body finding some documents, money and weapons. He did quickly small katon jutsu and burnt the body. "Goodbye, my friend. I will place you some flowers in memorial stone when we get back in home."

 **"Uzushio reporting in. One more missing nin left. Umi, your situation?"** Naruto asked speaking into communicator.

Line crackled unclearly a bit and then Iruka's voice came. **"Umi listening. 14 left, some minor injuries gained and chakra is starting to get low, but nothing too serious. I'm done with them soon, Uzushio. Go take last one down."**

 **"Roger that, Umi"** , Naruto said and line went dead. He merged into ground and appeared next to his own last _**Kage Bunshin**_. "Job well done, you can go now", he said to clone who nodded thankfully before disappearing in plume of smoke. Again some memories flooded in his mind and small remaining amount of chakra to his system.

Missing-nin attacked immediately as he had seen what happened. Blond **ANBU** easily evaded barrage of kunai and shuriken that rained in his direction. One kunai managed to nick him bare shoulder and he knew immediately that kunai were poisoned when Kyuubi's chakra started to neutralize poison from his system. Naruto thanked Kyuubi silently in his mind for neutralizing the poison but he knew that demon wouldn't hear him.

Missing-nin seemed to be slightly shaken by the fact that his poisoned kunai didn't effect blond teen at all, but he still continued his attack regardless.

Naruto took one of the poisoned kunai from ground and weighed it thoughtfully in his hand while he absently glanced towards missing-nin. He started to whirl kunai rapidly in his fingers and then... He threw the kunai faster than even trained eyes couldn't follow it. Last missing-nin collapsed into ground completely dead his own kunai in his throat.

Naruto sighed deeply and walked to dead nin to finish his task. He cut his head off and sealed it into scroll, searched it's body but found nothing out of the ordinary, only money, weapons, scrolls, normal things like those. Then he burned corpse quickly.

 **"Uzushio reporting. Mission accomplished from my part, and all three Kusa missing-nins are eliminated"** , Naruto spoke into his communicator. **"Umi, your situation?"**

Line was for a moment completely silent before Iruka answered. **"Umi reporting. Only 5 bandits left. Done very soon with them, meet me here"** , he said.

 **"Roger that, Umi"** , Naruto confirmed and merged into ground.

By the time Naruto appeared to Iruka's side of camps, fighting had already ceased and Iruka stood alone mids of the blood and cut corpses of bandits, panting and sweating, sporting some injuries and wounds and his chakra nearly all drained.

Naruto hurried to help Iruka, cursing himself for not sending some _**Kage Bunshins**_ to help him. He helped Iruka to clean place and started immediately to clean and heal his wounds.

Naruto grimaced visibly as he cleaned with desinfectant large laceration in Iruka's arm. Older man had gone through harsh battle, to kill alone 53 bandits and five of them shinobi training to until low Chūnin rank.

"This might leave a scar to your arm, Umi", Naruto said as he healed Iruka's arm with healing jutsu, his palm glowing green. "But luckily it's nothing too serious. Anyway, I should have left army of my clones to help you. _**Kage Bunshins**_ are nothing to my endless chakra reserves. That was really stupid of me, short sighted really."

Iruka cringed as pain shot through his arm. "You had your own worries at the time. You went against three Jōnins. It isn't easy task to do alone", he said, gritting his teeth.

"Yeah, I know, but still", Naruto said stubbornly and frowned to the Iruka's wound as it stiched itself closed under healing jutsus effects. Then he sighed. "Let's just patch you up, I can give you some strong pain killers to help with pain. Let's clean the camp and return back to village."

"Sounds like a plan", Iruka agreed and continued. "Can't wait to get to home. Long soak in onsen sounds really nice right now."

Naruto grinned. "Agreed. How about we go home as fast as we can after cleaning this place and take really long soak in onsen?" he asked grinning even wider. "Just you and me. You know, after 9 in evening there won't be much people, if not at all, so there will be peaceful. We could even ask onsen owner, who is friend of mine to wash our cloths while we relax in bath. After that late dinner. My treat this time", he offered.

They bumped their fists in agreement and Iruka said grinning. "Deal."

After cleaning the camp and burning the corpses, the took straight line back in village, moving as fast as they could, and they even used to chakra to enchance their speed.

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

One and half day later Naruto and Iruka arrived back to village gates, it was already evening, nearly 8 pm. Iruka was slightly wobbly and exhausted from all that fast travelling and fight before, and his all wounds weren't yet all healed. Naruto was only tired and a bit exhausted from travelling. They both were covered with dried blood, dirt and grime.

Gate guards spotted them. "Halt! State your name and business!"

Naruto let out long suffered and tired sigh. "Uzumaki Naruto and Umino Iruka returning from mission", he said and helped Iruka to stand better.

"Uzumaki-san, Umino-san, welcome back", gate guard nin said warmly to them. "Thank you from your hard work."

Naruto nodded and helped Iruka to walk inside the village. "Let's go report old man first", he said and grapped Iruka more firmly. "I'll teleport us there." And they disappeared into gust of wind.

They appeared again outside of the mission room and Naruto helped wobbling Chūnin to walk inside room. All speaking and movements stopped at the moment they were spotted in room. "Is old man in his office?" Naruto asked from silenced room. He got the answer, but it came from Sandaime himself.

"Naruto-kun, Iruka-kun. Welcome back", Sarutobi said. "I felt and saw you arrival", he said from hallway that led to his office.

Naruto grinned mischievously. "Using you peeping ball again, jiisan?" he asked. "Do I hand my report to mission clerk or to you? I have eight bloody heads secured in my scroll, you know jiisan", he said solemnly.

Sarutobi inhaled deeply his favourite pipe. "Ah, yes, that. Come in to my office. Go after wards in hospital to get checked you wounds."

"Sandaime-sama, our injuries aren't serious. Only small scratches and mild case of chakra depletion. Nothing that good food, hot bath and long sleep won't heal", Iruka said. "Besides, Naruto-kun, already took care of my wounds at battleground", he continued as they walked into Sandaime's office leaving stunned, silent mission roon behind them.

In Sandaime's office they finally sat down handed their mission report and scroll containing all heads. As Sandaime read the report his eyebrows rised a bit. "So there was more than three reported missing-nins?" he asked.

"Yeah, Iruka took care of them. They were, according to Iruka, low Chūnin ranked, two from Iwa, 2 from Kiri and one from Suna. I dealt with Kusa Jōnins, with help of my _**Kage Bunshins**_ of course", Naruto explained.

Sandaime hummed thoughtfully. "It's all written in report. Here are your mission pays, and you will get you bounties from those missing-nins after we have dealt with villages they were from. It might take some time", he said finally, giving duo their rather thick envelopes. "You are free to go now. You both will be off duty following seven days until your all wounds and chakra depletion is healed."

"Yes, sir", Naruto and Iruka both saluted the old Hokage in unison. "Dinner and onsen, here we come!"

Sandaime shook his head chuckling while he looked after as his two most favourite nin left his office.

― **TBC** ―

 _ **Jutsu List:**_

 _ **Kage Bunshins**_ _[Shadow Clones]_

 _ **Kage Kunai no Jutsu!**_ _[Shadow Kunai Technique]_

* * *

Hm... I don't like this chapter at all. I didn't even like writing it. Oh well... One more to go.


	6. Chapter 6 - Surprise After Another

**December 16th, 2011**

 **edit on May 30th, 2015**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own NARUTO; it belongs it Kishimoto Masashi. No money was made by writing this.**

 **Warnings:** _ **Do not read if you do not like homoerotica.**_ **Will be eventual SasuNaru and KakaIru yaoi. Kind of AU-ish. Academy graduates are older than manga/anime, around age 15-16 yrs rather than 12-13 yrs.** **Strong, ANBU!Naruto... Not super!Naruto, though.** **Rated M to be safe.**

 **Summary:** Sasuke often fought with Naruto and called him moron based on how he acted on classroom - goofing off and playing pranks. Yet Sasuke was totally smitten with him. Then came the day of Academy Graduation Test. Naruto shocked everyone by revealing his true self. On team assembly day Sasuke and Naruto were placed onto same team, however Sasuke pretended not to care, like he always did. He had always hidden his true feelings he felt for the blond and so he continued to do so even now. But his problem was that Naruto wasn't as stupid as he had pretended to be. So, it was now only matter of time before his crush for his blond teammate would be discovered...

 **Keys for reading:** "Normal Speech", _'Thoughts'_  
 _ **"Jutsu name**_ _[english translation]_ _ **!"**_ _,_ **"Transmitter/mic/headset"**

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

 **Stillnight Presents**

 **Surprises**

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

― **Chapter Six: Surprise After Another** ―

Team 7 was returning from their training and walking through restaurant area, when they saw something that gained their full attention fast. They saw two figure to wobble towards restaurant, and at least other of them was familiar to Genins. Other was wearing **ANBU** outfit minus porcelain mask, but his face was covered with black clothing like Kakashi had.

"Was that Iruka-sensei?" Sakura asked curiously. "But who was that with him then?"

"Well, let's go to see them. If Iruka-sensei is back from mission then it means that Naruto is also back", Kakashi said and looked his Genins. Sasuke brightened up immediately hearing that.

"Yeah, I agree with sensei", Sasuke said, and now then team 7 was on their way to same restaurant to where duo had earlier gone.

Inside the restaurant was shady and a bit smoky, but it was otherwise clean and nice place. They soon spotted the duo not far from them, and they were already eating.

Sasuke and Sakura rushed to greet Iruka-sensei.

"Hi, Iruka-sensei! You're back finally from your mission!" Sakura chirped happily to Iruka. "I take that your mission with Naruto was successful."

"Hello, Sakura-chan, Sasuke-kun, Hatake-san", Iruka greeted trio. "Yes, the mission was huge success."

"Kakashi-sensei, I assume that you have trained those two dunceheads while I was gone, no?" the masked figure buttet in, except that he wasn't masked anymore. His black mask was pooling down on his neck, revealing familiar whiskered cheeks.

Sakura and Sasuke were a bit shocked. "Naruto, is that really you? What's with your cloths? They are all bloody and dirty!" Sakura nearly screeched.

Naruto gave all of them his crooked, confident smirk. "My **ANBU** gear, as you can see. My mission was to kill missing-nins so it was expected that my jumpsuit wouldn't do. Also because my mission included hiding, killing and fighting, so it is pretty clear that my gear would get dirty. But no worries, it's all enemies blood, not mine."

Sasuke's stomatch went suddenly into knots and heart skipped a beat, and then started to beat furiously. He was forced to notice how good looking Naruto was in his gear, and he definitely was more than cool. His face started to heat up and faint blush rose to his cheeks and ears.

Even ever so dense Naruto noticed it. "What's up with Sasuke? His face is all red. He isn't sick, is he?" he asked, and placed his cool hand into raven's forehead. "No, he doesn't have a fever..."

 _'Thank you Kami, for making dobe so dense and oblivious to things like this',_ Sasuke thanked the gods in his mind.

"You three take a seat and order something to eat. My treat tonight", Naruto said. "We are going to go onsen tonight after eating. It's good for sore muscles after long and tedious mission."

Team took quickly seats around the table. Kakashi didn't want to pass free meal especially when he could eat what ever he wanted and he wasn't one who paid it. "So how your mission went?" Kakashi asked rather curiously.

"Well, it was a bit different that expected, but other than that, I suppose it went well. I got mildly poisoned, but I'm immune for all poisons, so no problem there. I got some scratches, but that's all", Naruto said and took long sip his water glass. "Iruka-sensei got some minor injuries and wounds, long laceration in his arm, but I healed it and it's only scar anymore, and minor chakra depletion, but that was really to be expected from mission like this one", he explained. "Iruka took alone 5 low Chūnin ranked missing-nins from Iwa, Kiri and Suna, along side the nearly 50 bandits."

Kakashi nodded and ordered food with Genins, and turned to look Naruto and Iruka then. "I see. You will sum a quite bit of money from this mission, more than originally expected", he said under his mask. "Iruka-kun can now buy his new bed, like Naruto said. Good job, Naruto-kun, Iruka-san."

Naruto smiled a bit and bowed his head. "Thank you very much. Mission wasn't pleasant, but it had to be done", he said solemnly.

Soon waiter brought food to team 7 and they fell in silence while eating.

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

After they all had finished their meal, Naruto paid for everything - it's not like he's poor or anything, even if he didn't do those missions, because Jiraiya left him a quite hefty sum every month.

Naruto and Iruka headed to Onsen and they were surprised to see that Team 7 decided to tag along with them.

As Naruto washed himself before heading to co-ed side of hot springs, Sasuke was openly gawking at him. Luckily for the raven-haired teen, it was good thing that Naruto was rather dense when it came things like that. Unfortunately enough for Sasuke, Iruka and Kakashi didn't miss it though. They had decided to go to co-ed springs so that Sakura could join them instead having to be alone.

Iruka sat a bit apart from Genin, just soaking and relaxing in hot water. It felt heavenly to allow warmth to seep into his bones and let his chakra to speed up his healing process. It did miracles to his battle sore muscles.

Kakashi allowed two Genin and young **ANBU** to mingle in peace while he himself headed toward Iruka to keep him company. Though he wasn't sure if the scarred Chūnin actually wanted any company, seeing that he had secluded himself from them. He stared at the tanned man for a good few minutes, wondering if he it would be rude to just sat next to him without asking permission. The Academy sensei sat there just, his eyes closed and cheeks pink from heat of hotsprings, seemingly blissfully unaware about everything around them. Kakashi absently noted that the Chūnin was lithe, compact and sinewy man - pure sinewy muscles - had natural, delicious bronze tan skin, which was littered by scars. The younger man had a dark coffee colored silky hair, which reached just slightly below his shoulders. That flushed look did look rather... delectable on Iruka-sensei's face. It enchanted Kakashi.

"Hatake-san. May I ask you a question?", Iruka's slightly husky voice interrupted the silver-haired man's thoughts and Kakashi swiftly reigned his thoughts in.

"It's Kakashi, since we are meeting as often as we are because of our students", Kakashi replied swiftly as he sat down next to tanned man, not wanting to be caught gawking at him so blatantly. "And yes, you may ask."

Iruka opened his eyes and gazed lazily at the silver-haired man next to him. "Then call me Iruka, Kakashi-san", he said softly, strecthing lazily, like a cat, his now more relaxed muscles feeling and utterly content.

Kakashi sunk even deeper down to water, gulping nervously. This man... He wasn't apparently aware at all how so utterly provocative and sensual a seemingly innocent movement was. It did _**things**_ to his nether regions. "Iruka-san...", he mused, as if tasting the name on his tongue, liking very much how easily the tanned man's given name rolled on his tongue.

Iruka gave Kakashi a small, content smile. "About that question I had in my mind... What is exactly going on in your team? I mean Sasuke-kun? If I didn't know any better I'd say that he's gotten a rather massive crush on Naruto", he chuckled.

Kakashi replied in kind. "That? It's has been going on for some time now. If I have to guess, I'd say, it started even before they were assigned to teams together", he mused, trying to push the previous Iruka's naked and wet body from his mind. Thinking about Gai usually did the trick, and so it did this time too. "Back then it wasn't so pronounced yet, since they didn't spend so much time together, only what they had in classes. But now... They are team-mates, Naruto teaches him, meaning that a lot of physical connection and seeing him nearly every day for at least for 12 hours straight, some times even more. Sasuke has increasingly difficult time to hide his crush on Naruto, because Naruto is clever and intelligent, and very observant - of course he has to be, being **ANBU** _ **Operative**_ \- but luckily for him, our young friend is rather dense when it comes to romance and crushes. He even all but confessed liking Naruto in our very first day, when I came to pick the Team up from class", he mused in amusement lingering in sole visible eye.

Iruka shook his head with laughter. "Oh dear goodness...", he murmured softly as he glanced at three teens not too far from them, but far enough to not hear their hushed up conversation. "Has Sakura-chan noticed anything yet?", he voiced his last question.

Kakashi's lips pulled into grin behind his towel covering his face. "She's smart and observant girl. Of course she has already noticed that something is going on with Sasuke. I think that she actually has already made a connection, if it was any indication how she went red-faced and screamed, before fainting dead away without any apparent reason during on one of our training sessions", he mused and shook his head head slightly, recalling that day. He remembered it because, Naruto had kicked his arse again and Sasuke had asked what he should do about Sakura because she was acting weird again, fainting without reason.

"I seriously hope that it won't hinder your team's progress", Iruka bit his lip with worry, looking at silver-haired man.

Kakashi swallowed and his hand clenched under the water on hem of his bath towel he had wrapped around his hips. He was sure luckly that his face was covered by small towel, and that what remained his face in visibility, the blush could be explained away by heat of bath. He forced himself to shrug nonchalantly. "They are good team. Sakura's obsession with Sasuke has gotten slightly better, even though she still tends to swoon and stalk him. They are very promising children, most promising ones I've ever seen - including myself. They will have wonderful careers ahead of themselves in future", he mused lightly. "And at the same time, they still never fail to provide me with endless amount of entertainment with their constant bickering, especially boys", he said fondly. "I'm sure happy that Naruto decided to lay off his animosity and train them instead."

Iruka may not have been able to see much of Kakashi's face, but he could see the amount of fondness and love he held for his students, especially for Naruto. "What about your and Naruto's _'spars'_? He's mentioned often times that he spars with you, but knowing him, he's rough-housing you. Punishing for your constant tardiness, so to speak. He has cracked your ribs several times during the time he's been your 'student', hasn't he?", he asked matter-of-factly.

At this Kakashi visibly winced and grimaced at the same time. "Oh yes, that", he agreed. "He's regularly wiping ground with me, as it is. He sure is good, if bit rough sparring partner. I've realized that after I quit **ANBU** , I've grown lazy and slacked my training too much", he mused with a slight shudder. "He can be very cruel sometimes during our training sessions. Especially on me. That is something I'd be very glad to see go", he sighed with depressedly, and even his hair drooped slightly. Whether it was due the moist air or his gloomy thoughts, Iruka couldn't decide. Kakashi streched his legs under water, rubbing his legs. "There are a lot of things about me that doesn't know about me yet, but I cannot tell him because they might cause him to hate me even more than he already does."

Iruka blinked rapidly for few seconds. Did he hear correctly? Kakashi-san thought that Naruto hated him? He sighed and placed a hand to silver-haired man's shoulder gently. "I know better than that, Kakashi-san. He doesn't hate you, I think that it's rather to contrary", he said soothingly. "He talks about you _a lot_. In very favorably light and fondly. He trusts you _so much_."

Kakashi made a surprised twitch when the scarred Chūnin placed a hand to his shoulder, but when he heard his words, he was openly confused. And it must've shown on his expression as well, when Iruka continued. "I've known Naruto-kun since he was seven years old, Kakashi-san. That makes it eight - nearly nine - years. So I know him very well, in fact. And only ones who know him equally well are Sandaime-sama and Jiraiya-san", he added and stared at starry sky. "Naruto is _**afraid**_ of letting people close to him, because of his jinchuuriki status. He tries to keep others at arms length away for a reason, you know. He tried that tactic with me as well, you see, that's why I'm so intimately familiar with it."

The silver-haired Jōnin listened the Chūnin's every soothing word. "What I told you about Naruto not hating you, but rather loving, is very much true. Do you know _**why**_ he tries so much dislike and keep you away?"

Kakashi looked up at misty, star littered and moon lit sky and said, his voice barely above whisper. "I really want to know..."

Iruka shifted a bit closer to Kakashi, his hand still calmingly on his shoulder. "He's afraid. To let you close, because he's afraid to lose you. He knows a lot of things, that logically speaking shouldn't know yet because of his age. He knows that you, Kakashi-san, are his adopted brother. You are his only family member aside Jiraiya-san", he said quietly and glanced at Naruto's direction. The gold-haired teen was splashing water at Sakura with grin. Sasuke smirked as the pink-haired girl spluttered and then smacked Naruto. Iruka couldn't help a small, fond smile tugging corners of his lips.

"He doesn't want to get too attached to you, because he thinks that it's his destiny to die way before you. Because of Kyuubi. Naruto told me that he will gladly suffer from loneliness than see his loved ones to die or get hurt because of him. Sometimes I wonder how I managed to get so close to him, because he guards his heart so closely. He has tried to push me away when he was younger. By now, he has given up that, because he knows that I'm not going to go anywhere any time soon or let him go. So, Kakashi-san, just try your hardest to break through that thick wall he keeps around himself to keep others out. Behind that wall will you find gentle, kind and lonely child, that your brother is", Iruka said softly, squeesing encouragingly at his shoulder.

 _'He knows...'_ , Kakashi thought his minds slightly numbing. _'Naruto knows that I am his brother. That photo...'_ , he suddenly remembered. He stood up and nodded Iruka. "Thank you for telling me this. I really needed to hear that, Iruka-san. Now, if you excuse me, I need to have a talk with Naruto..." He murmured and wandered towards three bickering teens.

"It was no problem. You are very welcome, Kakashi-san", Iruka said softly and hummed as he looked up at misty, star littered and moon lit dark nightly sky.

Naruto was very much surprised, when Kakashi suddenly came to his and two Genin pool. He knew that Kakashi had been speaking with Iruka-sensei, but he didn't know what they had spoken about. It wasn't his place to know, if they hadn't included him. So when Kakashi suddenly then slipped into their pool and without any kind of warning pulled unsuspecting Naruto into tight, warm and wet embrace, he was truly caught off-guard. He tried to struggle to get free from those warm, pale arms, but no prevail. The man held him tightly against his bare and wet, warm and hard chest.

"Naruto... I finally realized why you try to dislike me so", Kakashi whispered to him even as Naruto tried to struggle. "And it isn't working at all. You are my brother, no matter how much you may try to deny it. And I won't let you go, push me away anymore. I will _always_ be there for you, so stop being so stubborn and let me in already", Kakashi felt how boy went suddenly still in his arms, slumping against his chest, trembling. "I will love you no matter _who_ or _what_ you are. _**Aishiteru**_ , Naruto."

Two Genin, Sakura and Sasuke had been taken by surprise when Kakashi-sensei had suddenly invaded their pool and then embraced Naruto. Sasuke was shell-shocked to hear their eccentric silver-haired sensei whisper Naruto that he loved him. He hadn't heard everything, but he had heard enough.

And much to Sakura's and Sasuke's utter shock and surprise, they heard muffled sobs from their blond team-mate, who now clung to silver-haired man nearly desperately, having buried his face to pale man's chest crying.

"Did... Did I just hear Kakashi-sensei say to Naruto: _**Aishiteru**_? Was that- Was that a love confession or something?", Sakura murmured to Sasuke in bafflement. "That should be illegal or something. Sensei is much older than we are..."

Sasuke had frozen to spot where he was sitting. What the hell Kakashi-sensei was doing?

Commotion had caught Iruka's attention and he was now approaching two perplexed and upset Genin. He stopped behind them and placed his hands to their shoulders, causing them to jump in surprise. "Sakura-chan. Sasuke-kun", he said. "Please, do not interrupt them. This is very important moment for both of them", he said with low voice, so that only two Genin could hear him.

"But Iruka-sensei... But Naruto is only fifteen and Kakashi-sensei is something like thirty or something", Sakura tried to argue against their Academy teacher, to defend Naruto, despite that she and the blond may not have gotten along too well, but he was her team-mate, and perhaps with time, a good friend, even.

"Age doesn't matter in matters of heart. This is a family matter. They are brothers through adoption", Iruka said quietly as he slipped into water. "Kakashi-san was adopted as a boy by Naruto's birth parents, before Naruto was born. But they both died at Kyuubi attack and after that Kakashi wasn't even _allowed_ to see his new-born little brother, because of his unique back-ground and situation. Only now that Naruto has publicly made 'Genin', is he allowed to see and meet Naruto", he said sadly as he gazed to the blond teen and silver-haired man. "But Naruto is afraid to let people near him, because of his heritage", he added as he kept his eyes firmly at Kakashi and Naruto. "Naruto is in constant danger. Not because we are shinobi, but because of his heritage and who his parents were. You do not know how _hard_ it has been trying to gain his trust when he was still just an Academy student, especially in very beginning, to get him to open to me. It took _years_ to get this close as we are now at our current emotional level."

Sasuke's head whipped at Iruka's way and he started at him with wide eyes, understanding. "So, basically what you are saying is that Naruto tried to hate or seemingly dislike Kakashi-sensei, because he didn't want to get attached to him? He doesn't want to hurt Kakashi-sensei...", he murmured frowning. He wondered how this would affect him and Naruto...

Iruka nodded approvingly and then glanced at pink-haired girl, before he said. "So, what you are going to do now, Sasuke-kun? About your own attraction to Naruto? Now that you know truth about his behaviour", he asked teasingly from raven.

Sasuke flushed deep crimson red, and it had nothing to do with heat of hot springs. "I - I - I - I - I don't know what you are talking about, Iruka-sensei!"

Sakura blinked rapidly Iruka-sensei's question and then at Sasuke's stuttering. She pointed at Sasuke then and exclaimed. "I KNEW!", she laughed. "I knew you had a crush on Naruto! _**He**_ may be too dense and oblivious to notice it, but _**I'm not**_!"

Sasuke sunk further down to water, red with embarrassment, but then he straightened. "You are one to talk about crushes, Sakura!", he shot back. "You have had one for me for ages!"

Iruka couldn't help but laugh at the two teens. Kakashi-san had been right. They were amusing and providing entertainment with their constant bickering. "Alright, stop bickering. You can sort it out later, ne?", he said amiable, mirth swimming in his dark eyes. "How about you save it for your training sessions and not here in hot springs were everyone can hear you. Just sit down and enjoy bath, and relax, ne?"

Two embarrassed Genin realized that they were standing, and sunk back down to water, red-faced and utterly embarrassed, Iruka-sensei between them acting as a buffer.

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

Naruto helped a wobbly-legged Iruka into his (Naruto's) apartment, as his home was closer than Iruka's, seeing that scarred Chūnin's house was other side of Village. What happened in Onsen was still very fresh in Naruto's mind. Oddly enough, it had lightened his heart and mind, as if a huge burden had been lifted from his shoulders. It eased his mind that Kakashi now knew.

Iruka was going to be spend a night in Naruto's place, because it was closer and they both were tired to a boot. While Iruka slumped onto couch on living room, Naruto went to kitchen to make tea for them.

He nearly dropped a tea pot to floor when he noticed a plain brown parcel on table with note. As he hastily read the note, a wide grin formed to his face.

"IRUKA! Jiraiya dropped by while we were away and left two of his newest yet unpublished _**Icha Icha**_ books for us!", he hollored from kitchen as he opened the parcel with excitement.

And soon enough, Iruka, despite his exhaustion, wobbled to kitchen with a grin very similar to Naruto's on his face. He sat to chair by kitchen table to wait.

Naruto picked up one book and opened it. Inside was dedication text, as usual. And of course, Jiraiya's handwritten message with signature signature. "To Iruka, my loyal and dedicated fan, my godson's most favorite teacher in world, yours truly, Jiraiya", Naruto read out loud Jiraiya's short note inside book. "Oh... What's this?", he mused when he noticed that there was continuation to under it, which he had somehow missed. "Ps... Good luck with my gaki now that he's _**Genin**_."

Iruka huffed a laughter and Naruto puffed his cheeks, but all in all, he was nothing more than just amused by it. He handed the book to Iruka with a chuckle.

"I doubt that I'm going voluntarily to sleep tonight", Iruka mused as he opened the book, starting to read it while Naruto finished tea.

"I suspect that the same case will be with me. Lucky for us that Jiji told us to take off from duty for a week", Naruto said cheerfully, their exhaustion forgotten. Begrudgingly Naruto admitted that his godfather's books were very addicting and they had good plot. And well, smut was just a bonus, in his opinion. Despite his young age, he read those books often, and it wasn't as if he didn't know what they contained as he did proof reading and dealt with publishers occasionally. But he digressed.

Soon both Naruto and Iruka had dived into world of _**Icha Icha**_ with renewed vigor, tea getting cold, forgotten.

― ◦◦◦ ◦◦◦ ―

Despite that they had been so excited to read last night, Naruto and Iruka had both fallen asleep soon after midnight, due their exhaustion. Naruto woke up a bit late, around seven AM, and after showering and eating a hearty breakfast, he tucked his book to his weapon pouch and departed to their regular meeting spot.

Sakura and Sasuke were both there already when he arrived, which was showing that he was indeed late and had over slept. Naruto stopped to Red Bridge by Konoha River, leaning casually against railing, and pulled his _**Icha Icha Love**_ out and continued to read from where he had left off last night after falling asleep middle of reading.

Two Genin gave weirded out looks at Naruto when they saw the blond. "Naruto is acting very Kakashi-sensei like this morning...", Sakura muttered. "Kakashi-sensei in _**Henge**_ _[Transformation]_?", she suspected.

Naruto's sharp hearing picked up her mutterings. "Nope, I'm just me. I just got this new book from my godfather. He stopped by at home, but I was away on mission, so I didn't have chance to even meet him which is kind of bummer. Now that I've returned, I have time to read this. I've been waiting this for _weeks_ ", he said lifting the book so that two Genin could see the cover clearly, without taking his eyes off the book's pages, continuing reading.

Sakura's green eyes narrowed. "Wait a minute... Isn't that the book series that Kakashi-sensei always reads?", she asked dubiously.

Sasuke on other hand just merely shrugged. "Well, it can't be that bad if Naruto reads it, then", he stated matter-of-factly. "Naruto, can we see what it is?"

Now Naruto lowered the book and looked over the edge with a raised eyebrow. "Are you sure?" The Genin nodded. "Well, don't blame me if you get traumatized..."

Sasuke and Sakura both hurried to Naruto eagerly to take a look at the book the blond offered them. Realization hit them like a ton of bricks, when they read first few sentences and saw pictures. Both of them scampered away, red-faced and sputtering indignantly.

"What kind of book is that!?", Sakura stuttered and pressed her hands to her crimson red cheeks.

Naruto grinned at them. "A smut novel. It contains mature text and pictures. Normally it isn's available to those of under eighteen, but I live with the author himself, seeing that he is my godfather. I proof read his texts before they are published and deal with publishers sometimes", he said, returning to read, flipping calmly another page. "This one...", he said indicating the book in his hands, "is newest, yet unpublished edition. I always get new books straight from publisher through my godfather even before they hit the market. Well...", he chuckled at the thought passing his mind. "Me and Iruka-sensei, both. Jiraiya, my godfather, has taken liking to Iruka-sensei, so he gets the books free from him."

Sakura and Sasuke gave a shocked looks at him, but didn't say anything. Naruto took this as his cue to continue reading in peace while he had a change to do so. _Iruka-sensei reads that kind of material, too?_ was a prominent thought running through their minds.

Not too long after that Kakashi decided to arrive with plume of smoke and leaves. "Yo!"

"You're late, Kakashi-sensei!", Sakura shouted at him, puffing her cheeks.

"Sorry, sorry... You see, I got lost on road of Life...", he said, sounding not sorry at all. And then his sole visible eye wandered at Naruto, and he spotted _**the Book**_ in his hands. "Naruto, what are you doing here? You should be at home, sleeping. I remember Sandaime-sama saying that you are off duty until you are fully recovered and your chakra levels are back to normal", he said frowning. "You are officially for a week in off duty."

Naruto looked up from his book, seeing Kakashi, he sighed and snapped the book close. "Che, what a drag...", he muttered under his breath. "I'm perfectly fine, there's nothing wrong with me. It's Iruka-sensei who needs to resting and healing, not me."

Kakashi disapproved with him. "You _**will**_ return back to home and rest. You hear me, Naruto?", he said sternly.

Naruto scrunched his nose and made a face. "But.. I'm _**perfectly fine**_ ", he argued back.

Jōnin's stormy eye narrowed. "Don't make me to take you back to home", he said. "I know that it's a bit too late to try to act like a brother now, but...", a hesitance entered to his voice as he drifted off.

"What do you mean, too late?", Naruto interrupted him. "You are my brother. I know the circumstances that forbid you from seeing me as a child, but its never too late for family. We're both still alive, thus it's not too late."

Kakashi's eye widened comically and he was gaping behind his face mask. "You... Naruto..."

Naruto signed, rubbing his face. "There is no point in acting like I did before, not when the truth is already out there. I don't hate you, I never hated you in first place", he admitted finally. "In public I will treat you as my sensei, but in private my brother", he said pushing himself from railing.

Kakashi's eye softened and he murmured. "You know that I love you, right?", he said softly.

Naruto flashed him a smile, a genuine one. "I do, Kakashi-sensei. I suppose you could walk me back to home to make sure that I really go to home rest, ne _**niichan**_?", he said teasingly.

The silver-haired Jōnin couldn't take it anymore. A comical, happy tears fell from his eyes as he glomped at Naruto. "Otouto!"

Sakura and Sasuke backed away from them, sweat-dropping. The smut novel was forgotten.

At the same time they heard a booming voice calling not far. "My Eternal Rival Kakashi! Your Fires of Youth Burns Very Brightly! Lee, Neji, TenTen; Follow his excample!"

"Gai-sensei! Indeed his Fires of Youth are Intense!"

Kakashi let go of Naruto and looked at the direction he heard the dreaded voice. "Gai, what are you doing here?", he nearly groaned. He really did not need the green-spandex clad, eccentric taijutsu specialist witnessing this.

The said green clad man with shiny bowl hair cut and blinding white smile walked closer, three teens trailing after him. "Kakashi My Eternal Rival! I came to Challenge You to Duel!"

"Ne, Kakashi-sensei... Who is this man?", asked Sakura warily as she looked suspiciously the spandex wearing man.

"He is Maito Gai, Jōnin-sensei like I am. See those three kids with him? They are his students", Kakashi said ignoring Gai who was spouting something about Hip and Cool attitude with practised ease.

Kakashi's three students turned to look at Gai's students. Sakura felt her eyebrow twitch as she noted the similarity between teacher and one of the male students.

Gai quieted down, looking curiously at Kakashi's students. He noted that blonde Genin was wearing clothing very close resemblance to **ANBU** outfit, but without ANBU vest. And the boy was also wearing a face mask, though it reached to his chin, not covering his face like Kakashi's.

"Well well, Kakashi. I see that you have infected one of your students with your mystery mask", said Gai and flashed a bright grin.

Naruto felt his eye twitch in irritation. "Excuse me, Maito-san, but I was in habit of wearing this thing even before I met Kakashi-sensei", he said. "A habit that I picked up when I entered at **AN** -", he suddenly clammed his mouth shut, realizing that he was speaking to people who didn't know about his back ground. "Well, never mind that."

Despite the sudden clam-up, Gai understood what the blond was about to say. Understanding flashed in his eyes. "I see, I shall not ask any questions about that then. I assume that your team knows?", he asked.

Kakashi draped himself over Naruto and pulled him to his chest. "Of course my kids knows. They have to take account his schedule and all that", he said giving his trademark one-eyed cheery smile. "Naru-chan is on off-duty for next week, but he still came to our team meeting. Sandaime-sama himself took him off-duty."

"Why so, Kakashi-san?", asked the pale-eyed boy with dark brown hair. "He seems rather fine to me."

"Hmm... He returned just yesterday from high A-ranked mission with Chūnin Umino Iruka. Bandit and missing-nin termination", he said, not giving away anything else about mission. "They were successful", he added with slight mirth. Gai's students eyes widened comically and they stared at the Naruto now.

"How they managed it just two of them?", TenTen asked sounding unusually awed.

"Naruto is good, better than your average Genin", Kakashi said simply. It wasn't his place to tell that he was actually **ANBU** _ **Operative**_ capable enough kicking Jiraiya's arse. "Though, he did graduate just about two or so months ago from Academy: he's really awesome just like that."

Naruto's eye twitched and he smacked Kakashi with his _**Icha Icha Love**_ novel to face. "Sensei, don't brag unnecessarily. I don't need more attention than I already get, you big oaf."

Kakashi rubbed his sore nose and pouted. "Maa, Naru-chan, what happened to _**niichan**_? You called me that before Gai and his students arrived."

Gai's eyes widened huge as saucers.

"Deal with it", Naruto grumbled, holding his book threateningly at Kakashi's face again.

"I love you too, Naru-chan", answered Kakashi to that, his only eye twinkling with thinly disguised mirth. Naruto groaned and smacked him again into face.

Neji made a peculiar face as he snuck closer to Sasuke. "What's going on with Kakashi-san and that blond team-mate of yours?", he asked with low voice, nearly whisper.

"Just yesterday we discovered that they are brothers through adoption. Kakashi-sensei was adopted by Naruto's birth parents before Naruto was born, when Kakashi-sensei was still a kid. However, Naruto's parents died during Kyuubi attack and for some reason, Council forbid him even meeting his own brother, because of Naruto's heritage or something. Then Naruto was assigned to Kakashi-sensei's team and now he's allowed to see him as much as he want, because Naruto's Genin now", Sasuke replied with equally low voice. "And to me, it seems that Kakashi-sensei is determined to catch up all that time he was not allowed to meet Naruto at all."

Neji was astonished. "What was that when he mentioned something about his mask, but he then suddenly clammed up", he asked with frown.

Sasuke's eyes frosted. "This is not information that I can tell", he said glaring at Neji. "If you discover it and spread it around, I will close your mouth myself once and for all", he hissed with hint of ice in his voice.

"Proctective much, eh, Uchiha?", Hyuuga boy sneered.

"Extremely, as you will discover, Hyuuga", Sasuke sneered back at him. "Though he doesn't need to be protected, he can kick our sensei's arse to Suna and back with ease. If you go pick fights with him, then I'll guarantee you that he will kick your skinny behind to Kumo and back, and make it hurt _so bad_ that your _ancestors_ will feel it."

"And I have eagle ears, as well", came Naruto's ominous statement from Kakashi's clutches, off-handedly. Sasuke gulped. "Say one more word and you will be reading my whole _**Icha Icha**_ book collection as punishment." At this Sasuke went crimson faced, meeped very unmanly and hid behind Sakura.

Neji's blindked rapidly at what had just transpired. He looked at Sasuke who was now hiding behind Sakura and then to blond teen, still by Kakashi. " _ **Icha Icha**_?", he asked perplexed.

"Porn novel collection", Sakura piped up, cheeks heating up. "He's not supposed to read them until he's eighteen. He showed us one page."

Naruto smirked at flabbergasted looks of Gai's Genin were giving at him. "Perks of living with author of said novels", he said lifting his precious _**Icha Icha**_ novel for them to see.

Gai's head whipped to stare at Kakashi, eyes questioning.

"Naruto is Jiraiya's godson", Kakashi replied loftily. "I got addicted to his novels, as you know Gai, when I was teen myself, a year or two younger than Naruto is now", he added and turned his attention to Naruto. "Ne, Naruto, can I borrow from collection those special editions that I don't have?", he asked. "And this new one after you've finished it."

Naruto smiled. "Ah, sure. You are welcome to browse my collection anytime you wish. When you take something, leave me a note stating what you took and when, if I'm not at home at the time", he said off-handedly. "So, Gai-san... What was that challenge you had in your mind for this time?", he asked curiously. He knew very well about Kakashi's and Gai's challenges.

"Ah! I nearly forgot my challenge", Gai boomed. "Kakashi, My Eternal Rival, I Challenge You to Sushi Eating Contest!"

Kakashi signed and Naruto cracked a smile. "I accept your challenge, Gai", Kakashi said. "But not today. Maybe tomorrow would be better choise? My team and I have today a lot to do."

"Can I came to see this contest tomorrow, Kakashi-sensei, Gai-san?", Naruto asked with hint of excitement. "What is your current win-loss state, Gai-san?", he asked openly curious.

"We are tied 49 - 49", Gai boomed proudly.

― **TBC** ―

 _ **Jutsu List:**_

 _ **Henge**_ _[Transformation]_

* * *

Well, this kinda is it. For now. Finally this is actually starting to go somewhere plotwise. Yay... (note the lack of enthusiasm). Next chapter - a bit more KakaIru interaction and SasuNaru (maybe). Dunno. I have no actual plot plannet out or anything. This goes where ever my mood strikes and leads me to.

Regards  
Stillnight


End file.
